In the Stars
by TheodoreMalfoy
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy had no problem living his life the way he had for the first seventeen years; alone. But that suddenly changes one day when he is healed by a mysterious beauty. Scorpius realizes he cannot continue without knowing her, and decides to pursue Rose Weasley. Rose, never having known anyone like Scorpius, quickly becomes intrigued... Can star crossed souls find love?
1. Chapter 1

****Summary:**** Scorpius Malfoy had no problem living his life the way he had for the first seventeen years; alone. But that suddenly changes one day when he is healed by a mysterious beauty. He finds himself unable to rid her of his mind, as she invades his every thought. Scorpius realizes he cannot continue without knowing her, and decides to pursue Rose Weasley. Rose, never having known anyone like Scorpius, quickly becomes intrigued by him. They both knew it would only be a matter of time before something happened, but they find themselves unable to stop... Are two star crossed lovers able to over come their families past, and find love in each other?

 ** **Author's Note:**** Before reading this I would just like to tell you about certain aspects of the story. First off, because this is a next-generation story and not much is said about those characters, I am of course giving them their own personalities and stories. That being said, I have noticed many next-generation stories where the children are very much alike to their parents, but that is _not_ the case with this story. I have given each character some unique and new qualities, and I hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** _The rating for this story is_ ' _M'_ _because of explicit swearing, violence, and sexual content._ The pace of the relationship in this story is quite slow, but steady, and I promise that it will get good and juicy with time. I have made a couple changes that some might consider 'drastic', so I thought I would just state them now, to prevent anyone from getting upset midway through the story. One of the more major changes; Rose Weasley was born a year younger than Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, but is in the same year of school as them. Also instead of Lily Potter being one year younger than Albus, she is two, which puts her in her fifth year along with Hugo Weasley. Another thing that I have changed is the holiday breaks that the Hogwarts students are allowed, I have added two extra short breaks, so I can get in more time with their families. Throughout the story you might notice that I have tweaked and changed little things, but those are the only two major adjustments I have made so far. I will keep you all updated with any other vital changes I add as the writing and posting continues.

I started writing this story in the fall of 2015, and I am pleased to say that it is completely and totally finished! I am not going to state how long the story is, as I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone who chooses to read along as I post. I will say, however, this tale is quite lengthy. Each chapter is about 3,000 words, some a tad bit shorter and some got to be much longer. I plan on posting _every other day_ but this might be impossible some days, as life does indeed happen. I have the idea and motives to write a sequel to this story, but we will see if it is wanted later on. One last thing, I just thought I would let you guys get into my head a little, and so as for Scorpius I picture him looking like a mixture of these five men; Andre Hamann, Chris Hemsworth, Kellan Lutz, Luke Bracey, and Alex Pettyfer. Finally, I hope you enjoy the story! Reviews are always enjoyed and welcomed.

* * *

She loved him. She was deeply and unconditionally in love with him. He knew it, everyone knew it. The problem was he didn't love her. She knew it, everyone knew it. He was sure he could never love her, he could never love anyone.

Scorpius Malfoy was incapable of love, simple as that. Therefore he felt bad for Catalina Goldberg, he honestly did. She was forced to constantly share his presence, watching the man she cherished from a distance, and he couldn't do anything to stop from hurting her. So, as Scorpius lifted his head and immediately met eyes with Catalina, he felt a familiar guilt weighing heavily on him. He could see the sadness in her brown eyes, and the pain in the smile she forced. He quickly looked away, just in time to see Chandler Goldstein clumsily drop his syrup drenched waffles onto his lap. Scorpius chuckled quietly into mug, as he brought it up to sip his morning coffee, causing his neighbor to look his way, a huge grin on his face.

"You saw that too? Oh man, this is going to be one of the easiest games I have ever played. We basically have them in the palm of our damn hands." Luciano Zabini rolled up the thick sleeves to his Quidditch uniform, happy as a boy could be.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, sipping his coffee again. "Right now isn't the time for cockiness, Luciano. We haven't defeated them yet and I don't need you slacking. I don't want to face the humiliation that comes with being defeated by Ravenclaws."

He heard a scoff, and Scorpius was nudged by a bony elbow. "No worries mate, Slytherin hasn't lost a game to Ravenclaw in five years! Not to mentioned Slytherin hasn't lost a game at all since you have been captain." Luciano shoveled his own breakfast into his mouth with an unbeatable speed, chewing loudly.

"Yes, and the only reason Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup the past three years is because I keep my players modest. We have a real good chance of winning today but we must not assume we will win. Go that, Zabini?" The blonde watched his sloppy friend nod, as he stood up, grabbing his bag. "Good, now I want you down in the locker room in five minutes. A minute late and I'll have you replaced."

Luciano ignored his friends serious tone, and threw him a lopsided grin. "Like bloody hell you will. You and me both know I am the best damn chaser this school has seen in years." Scorpius turned and began walking away, ignoring the ignorant comment.

"Five minutes!" Scorpius yelled back, not bothering to turn around, shaking his head as he chuckled. He paused at the end of the table, telling the others on the team to be to the locker room soon, who responded with much more enthusiasm.

Scorpius walked down the cool halls in the castle he grew up in. He peeked out the tall stone windows, admiring the faded green grass and the decaying cedar trees. It was an altogether perfect day for Slytherin's first autumn game; the air was warm with a cool breeze, the sky a clear blue. Scorpius walked onto the field, looking all around, adoring the beautiful Scottish land. He closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath, and could smell the fresh flowers beginning to flourish.

When he entered the Slytherin Quidditch room, he saw his younger players adding on their extra layers, a terrified look peaking their faces. "Nervous, Montgomery?" Scorpius teased the sixth-year boy, seeing his hands tremble slightly as he strapped on his arm guards. He smirked to himself as he finished dressing, and impatiently waited for the other two seventh-years to show. Zoee Higgs and Luciano arrived, with seconds to spare, "hurry your late arses up. We need to talk before show time."

Zoee Higgs was the only female on the Slytherin Quidditch team, and was twice as ruthless as any other keeper Scorpius had ever seen. She had sandy black hair, and was almost as tall as Scorpius. Zoee was known for her bluntness and straightforward personality. "Oh come on, Scorpius, we have heard your bloody speech millions of times. Save us the torture and let us go crush those know-it-all's. I've been itching to play all summer!" Scorpius was use to Higgs' immature comments, and although the two weren't very close, she was his only female friend.

"Just finish getting ready you two," Scorpius barked at Luciano and Zoee, and stood on one of the wooden benches, though he already tower over most everyone. "You lot come here." Scorpius was pleased as the fifth and sixth-years crowded around him. "Slytherin hasn't lost a game in three bloody years, and I'll be damned if we let those eagles take that away from us. This team is indestructible, as long as we keep our heads clear. When we go out on that field you must think of only Quidditch, allow nothing else to enter your mind." Scorpius saw Zoee and Luciano mocking him in the far corner, and grabbed an extra shin pad, throwing it at them with force only he possessed. "Oi, you two, ten laps after the game! Now, the sky is clear and we have no reason to lose. Just get out there and give this all you have." Scorpius heard Mister Hamblin holler at them, and he ushered all them out onto the field.

It was to no one's surprise that most of the crowd was wearing a royal blue, old habits die hard, Scorpius thought. The two teams met in the middle of the monstrous field. Scorpius noticed the fear concealed faces of his team, and he had never been more satisfied knowing every Slytherin was born knowing how to mask their emotions perfectly. He was forced to politely shake the trembling hand of Anthony Goldstein, as Hamblin recited how he wanted a 'fair, clean game'. The second the screeching whistle was blown, Scorpius, along with his entire team, was hovering hundreds of feet in the air.

"Alright folks, welcome to the very first Quidditch game of 2023!" The school heard Colton Creevey's high pitched voice boom around the field. "Today we will find out if Anthony Goldstein will be able to lead his team to victory, ending Slytherin's winning streak. Scorpius Malfoy seems to have his team whipped into incredible shape though; those snakes are vicious!" Scorpius blocked out the annoying voice and set his mind clear, his eyes trained to find the little flash of gold.

The game continued on, and in an incredibly short about of time, Slytherin was ahead by hundreds of points. Luciano had managed to hit the Ravenclaws keeper, Michael Cartier, with a quaffle...twice. And Bart Willow, a Slytherin beater and the only fifth year on the team, had been able to swerve from every bludger Aliva Corner had sent his way. Scorpius was impressed with his team, but bored and aggravated, not having spotted the snitch once yet. He was flying lazy laps around the pitch, taking in everything happening.

Scorpius felt his heart speed up when he saw Robert Belby, the Ravenclaw seeker, soar forward on his broom, staring hard. But when Belby slowed down to look back at him, Scorpius knew he was trying tricks. Malfoy ran a hand through his already messy blonde hair, for a boy that was in the house of intelligence, he was foolish. Minutes passed by and Scorpius stopped, hovering in front of the Slytherin stands, surveying the game. He observed that each member of his team owned looks of determination, and was watching a quaffle fly across the field when he spotted a burst of gold. He saw the snitch!

Scorpius didn't immediately fly after it, like most would have; he was smarter than that. He watched the little gold ball buzz and zip around, and when it was on his side of the field, Scorpius took his chance. He pushed his broom forward, feeling the wind whip past him, keeping his eyes sharp. "Looks like the snitch has been spotted! Let's see if the famous Malfoy speed will come through, having yet to falter." Scorpius cursed the Creevey boy under his breath, as his loud mouth caused Belby to fly after him. Scorpius was close, so close, but he knew it wasn't going to be easy. He was flying straight towards the Slytherin stands, and realized he wouldn't be able to much longer.

When he was mere inches away from the panicked faces of his housemates, Scorpius pulled his broom up, climbing forward. He heard sighs of relief and let out his own when he saw the snitch had decided to slip forward too. He could feel someone right on his heels, but he ignored it, pushing his broom to a dangerous speed. Scorpius was now back to a normal position, in the middle of the field, and he could almost feel the snitch in his fist. Scorpius saw the bit of gold, and with a quick swipe of his hand, he held victory. "SLYTHERIN TAKES THE GLORY YET AGAIN! SLYTHERIN IS UNDEFEATABLE." The crowds erupted, cheers and groans heard throughout.

Scorpius pulled his broom to a stop, watching Luciano and Zoee smile and cheer from across the pitch. Scorpius began to lower his broom to the ground, but before his feet touched the grass he felt the impact of a thousand hippogriffs slam into him from behind. All the air in Scorpius rushed out of him, and before he had a chance to react, his body smashed helplessly into the ground, head first. Scorpius felt excruciating pain rush through his body, he felt fire engulf his brain, and could taste blood in his mouth. The entire pitch was in total silence, and after the shock wore, dozens of people began rushing to the wounded boy.

He couldn't hear anything, but Scorpius felt, he felt _everything._ He felt rough hands grab all over his body, and the wizard felt the ground disappear from beneath him, he felt white hot fire rush through his body, felt blood trickle down his face, he felt pain. "It hurts," Scorpius managed to cough out, blood spurting from his mouth as he did so.

"I know, I know, mate. Just hold on, we'll get you help. Don't worry." Scorpius heard Luciano's voice nearby and flinched at the loud sound. He just wanted it all to go away, for everyone and everything to just go away. Scorpius felt his body land on something soft and groaned as it pressed into his pain. He heard hushed voices, and opened his eyes to see blurs of colors passing by. He began to cough, getting rid of the blood that filled his mouth, and he immediately felt a pair of small hands pulling him up, helping him. The hands felt nice, so cold against his inflamed skin.

With great strength and pain, Scorpius reached back and managed to take hold of one of the heavenly hands. He felt the hand he held squeeze his back, rubbing his tight grip gently with a soft touch. Scorpius let out a weak sigh when he felt the other cool hand move around to his forehead, as he laid back down.

Scorpius held on to the angelic hands, his only source of pleasure, taking away his pain. He knew he couldn't let go, would never let of the magical hands.

* * *

So bright, why was it so bloody bright? Scorpius felt his head throbbing painfully and when he ever-so-slightly peeled back an eyelid, he groaned as a lantern shined brightly in front of him. Before he had a chance to close his eye again, he saw the fire dim down low. "Better," a soft voice calmly asked next to him. The voice was soothing, it was airy and light, sounding perhaps a bit childish as it was sweet, almost too sweet. With much struggle, Scorpius managed to turn his head to left and saw her.

She was a pretty brunette girl sitting in a chair close to his bed, a book in her lap, and her wand pointing to the lantern. She had a comfortable smile on her face, one that reassured Scorpius, more than he would have liked to admit. Scorpius felt she looked vaguely familiar, but couldn't place a name to her. He said nothing as he looked back at his body, and saw the bandages that covered himself. He could feel her eyes on him, daring him to look back at her. They were blue, not a normal sky blue, but the green blue color of the ocean.

"What happened?" Scorpius asked, his voice croaky and dry. He didn't miss the flash of concern in her blue orbs, and he watched as she set her wand and book down on the table next to his bed.

"Don't remember, Mister Malfoy?" He heard an old honey voice echo throughout the hospital wing. Scorpius rolled his head to the side and saw Healer Strout standing at the end of his bed, hands of her hips, hard eyes locked on the damaged boy. "You took a nasty fall, hundreds of feet. You dislocated your left shoulder, broke two ribs, and had minimal head trauma. You'll be fine soon enough, I do want you to rest here one more night, though. Do you hear me, Mister Malfoy?" Scorpius did his best to wobble his bandaged head for her, grumbling under his breath. "Alrighty now, let's get that shoulder of yours back in place, shall we? You've left me a mountain of paperwork, boy." Scorpius merely rolled his eyes and took and agitated deep breath.

"Rose dear, could you go grab me the numbing cream." The aged women said, addressing the small witch next to him. He watched the petite form float out of his sight, wondering who in Merlin's name she was and why she was helping the Healer. Scorpius had Strout helping him sit up, and groaned out as an aching pain shot across his back. "Now we've already healed your rib fractures and took care of your head, but we need you awake in order to fix your shoulder here." Ivory bandages covered his bare torso, and a cool breeze drifted across his upper back. The brunette girl appeared again, and when she tried handing a bright green tube to Strout, she was denied. "No, you're more than capable of this, Rose."

"Ma'am, are you sure?" Scorpius heard the tiny voice breath out. In of the corner of his eye he inquisitively watched her tense slightly, and saw slim fingers tighten around the tube. The blonde boy's mind reeled as he tried to think through his pain, he knew he had heard that silvery voice before.

Healer Strout nodded, adjusting Scorpius so he was further from his pillows, his back facing the girl. "Yes, dear. You've healed bones thrice as strenuous, I am positive you can do this." He watched the wrinkled face smile softly down behind him.

Seconds later a gasp left his mouth as he felt a familiar frosty hand atop his shoulder, his body involuntarily leaning into the heavenly touch. He felt the whisper of her words caress across his nude back when her soft voice spoke next, "you won't feel a thing." After the bandages were removed, dainty hands were spreading a cool salve upon his back and up his shoulder. She was massaging his rough alabaster skin when his eyes drooped down and he breathed heavily. Grey eyes snapped open when he felt the angelic touch leave him. He turned his head to the side and saw doll-like fingers wrap themselves around his upper bicep, moments later the loud ' _pop'_ of his bone readjusting was heard throughout the silent hall.

The grip on his arm was dragged down to his wrist, and the young witch maneuvered his arm in all directions. "How does it feel", he heard her whisper against his neck. The tiny hairs all over Scorpius' body stood up and a shiver wracked his spine. ' _Who the hell is she?'_ he angrily thought to himself.

Scorpius cursed himself when he realized the witches were waiting for his response. "Fine," his rough voice reply. As the godly girl helped him lay again he tried catching a good glimpse of her, but his attention was pulled to Strout, who was handing him several potions. His heavy lids closed unwillingly after a few moments, and Scorpius was whisked into a peaceful sleep, filled with dreams of the divine beauty with glorious hands.


	2. Chapter 2

"...he'll be fine. Actually, he can leave as soon as he wakes up, I just need to check a few things first." Scorpius woke groggily to the sound of _her_ voice. He waited a few moments before slowly pushing his eyelids open, flinching at the sunlight that shone through the tall windows. His head felt as though it had swelled to double in size, and his shoulder ached from sleep. Scorpius' prayers seemed to go ignored as Luciano noticed the newly conscious boy.

A huge grin was on the Italian's face as he approached the side of Scorpius' bed. "Decided to finally grace us with your presence, ay mate? I'd thought you'd never wake." Next to the overly excited boy stood Quinn Nott, Scorpius' more rational best friend.

Quinn bore a smirk as he examined the blonde boy, his long brown hair falling into his face. The state of his injured friend seemed to have him completely amused. "You had us worried… well you had me worried. I can't speak for this divvy here but I was up the wall all of yesterday, we weren't allowed to see you." Scorpius silently thanked every God for that, his head already pounding from his companions.

As if she could read his mind, Healer Strout appeared, paperwork in hand and a stern eye on the extra two Slytherins. "Glad to see you're awake, how do you feel, Mister Malfoy?" Scorpius peaked behind the tall elder witch and saw the pixie-like girl that seemed to be glued to her side. Finally getting a good look at her, Scorpius knew he recognized her, he just couldn't figure out who she was. ' _Rose'_ he repeated in his head.

"Like hell," was the only reply Scorpius grumbled out. Healer Strout had her eyebrows up to her hairline staring at him, but ignored his vulgar language for the time being.

She clicked her tongue, then flipped through the papers she held. "Yes, well that was expected." She looked back up at him, taking in his full appearance this time. "As much as I would prefer you to say here another night, there is no reason I should have you do so. Rose will give you some potions, then you can be off on your way. But if that shoulder of yours acts up, come straight to me, you hear?" She seemed pleased after Scorpius gave her a quiet ' _yes ma'am_ ' and she disappeared off into her office, loud heels clicking the entire way.

Just as he was about to turn his attention back to his friends, Scorpius noticed the small witch still standing at the end of his bed. She had two vials in her hands, and her gaze was locked on him. When his eyes finally met hers, a blush spread itself across her cheeks. She casted her eyes down, much to Scorpius' dismay, and shuffled up close to the empty side of his bed. The puzzling girl cleared her throat before she looked back up and smiled shyly at him. "You just need to take these, they're for the pain, and then you can go." Lost for words from the angelic voice, he simply nodded, feeling more foolish than he had in years. As she handed the first vial to him, Scorpius made sure to brush his fingertips with hers. His body seemed to calm from the undeniable familiar cool touch.

After he obediently downed both potions, she seemed pleased, "alright, you're all set. But if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to come back down here." She grabbed the empty glasses with a small smile and turned from him. Just as she was walking from the end of his bed, Scorpius spoke out to her without realizing his actions. His deep voice thanked her quickly.

He watched her turn to him, confusion obvious on her face. The girl stopped when she faced him and Scorpius watched as a beautiful smile appeared. He could feel his heart speed up, his eyes completely transfixed on his heavenly mystery. The glorious blush appeared on her cheeks, and when she brought her gaze up from the ground, her bright eyes shone for him. "You're welcome," he heard the silky voice whisper back to him. She turned, and was gone much too fast for Scorpius' liking.

A long, slow whistle was what brought the blond out of his trance. He turned to see both Quinn and Luciano sitting on the bed next to his. The Italian had a ridiculous smirk upon his lips, showing off his dazzling white teeth. "I'd willingly throw myself off the damn Astronomy tower, if I was guaranteed she would be the one patching me up. I mean, did you see that tight arse, Merlin help me."

The tan boy was dramatically grabbing at his chest, fainting onto Quinn. Scorpius, who had been expecting his level headed friend to reprimand Luciano for his actions, nearly fell off his bed when Nott simply said, "I'd definitely be joining you on that one, mate". The newly patched up boy, who had rolled his eyes and told the two to shove off, silently agreed with his company.

* * *

Scorpius Malfoy was not an easily overwhelmed man. In fact, he wasn't impressed by much, things rarely caught his attention. And this is why it was so strange that he couldn't get Rose out of his head. His injury had occurred five days previous, and he had spent every spare moment thinking of the tiny witch, having dreamt of her each night. Scorpius was extraordinarily miffed with himself, irked because he couldn't clear his mind of the taunting thoughts.

He had considered asking his mates if they knew who she was but decided against it, concluding it would draw too much attention to the subject. He was _certain_ he knew who she was, her face familiar, but his mind wouldn't allow him to remember her name. He subconsciously searched for her; in each of his classes, along the corridors, during meals in the Great Hall. But he could never spot her, it was as if she was just a fragment of his imagination. Never before had Scorpius been so consumed by anyone or anything. Thinking of her seemed to bring him a bizarre sort of serenity, memories of her divine touch clouding his mind.

So it was to no surprise that he was thinking of her as he left his last class on Thursday night, walking with Quinn and Luciano to dinner. "You're not even listening, this is the best part!" Scorpius was pulled away from his thought of lovely blue eyes and pretty pink lips when he heard the exclamation. Luciano was staring at him with an exasperated look on his tanned face, his arms crossed over his chest. "Do you not realize how big of a deal this is? Zoee finally is letting me take her on a bloody date. And to think all I had to do was beg at her feet for a couple of hours. Isn't this the best damn thing you've heard all day?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes, one of his worst habits, and nodded enthusiastically at his friend next to him. "Yeah, of course I'm happy for you, man. You've been chasing after her since we were eleven. 'Bout time she acknowledge your pathetic pleas."

Luciano said something about not being pathetic but Quinn cut him off. "Is there something wrong, Scorpius? You've been distracted all week, what's up?" The wizard had a look of concern on his handsome face, his mismatched eyes staring at Scorpius. Quinn Nott was typically a very quiet guy, preferring to observe rather than participate. He was perceptive and attentive, never missing the slightest detail. So Scorpius wasn't surprised when his friend noticed his odd behavior.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just-nothing. Forget it, I'm fine," the tall blonde replied. Neither of his friends bought into his excuse, but knew better than to push the topic. They both experienced their fair share of the oh-so famous Malfoy temper.

They arrived at the Great Hall, and took their typical spot at the Slytherin table, sitting with the other seventh-years, and few members of the Quidditch team. Most of the students greeted the three boys, Scorpius gathering attention from a vast majority of the females in the hall. Scorpius sat next to Quinn, with Luciano across from them next to Zoee, who blushed at his new location. "Afternoon, boys," Zoee acknowledged them as she unsuccessfully tried shoving Luciano's arm from her waist. Scorpius simply nodded to her, his eyes automatically inspecting the hall for the subject of his engrossing thoughts. "Damn Malfoy, what're you searching for? You look as if you're about to pounce on your prey."

Scorpius' grey eyes glared at his blunt friend, "I'm not looking for anything. Mind your damn business, Higgs." Zoee just started back, silently challenging him, an eyebrow raised high.

"Grumpy, are we? Somebody ruffle your feathers?" He simply ignored the comment, annoyed with her antics, and the fact that he couldn't intimidate her like he did so easily with others. Scorpius piled his plate with food, tuning out his friends chatter as he replayed the sound of her mellifluous voice.

Dinner was almost over when Scorpius felt a firm tap on his shoulder. He turned around and found Dawson Pucey standing behind him, a friendly look in his normal tough eyes. Dawson was his cousin, the youngest of three brothers, but Scorpius wasn't as close to him as he was to his siblings. The man was reserved and shy, and Scorpius sometimes didn't understand how he made Slytherin, yet he also was very cunning and stealthy. "I have a few letters for you down in my dorm that got sent to me, one is from your parents and the other is from Grandfather."

Scorpius nodded, taking a last sip of his water and swinging his bag over his shoulder as he stood, "alright, we can go fetch them now." Scorpius bid a goodbye to his friends, and walked out of the hall with the introverted boy. The lengthy walk to the Head's dorm was filled with a tense silence, though comfortable and natural for the two boys. "How are your brothers doing?" Scorpius asked when they were near the portrait.

Dawson sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "fine I suppose. Edmund got a promotion in the ministry, much to father's approval. Ackley broke off his engagement, _again_ , much to mother's disapproval. I don't think he'll ever be able to commit, but don't tell him I told you that. He's driving mother mad with it all." They got to the portrait of two men playing chess, and Dawson supplied the password, too quiet for Scorpius to hear.

They walked into the large Head's common room; voluminous bookshelves covering the walls, large leather couches, huge glass windows showing of the starry night sky. Dawson dropped his bag on a grand oak desk, and rushed up one of the staircases, saying he would grab the letters. Scorpius sat on a chair next to the roaring marble fireplace. Inevitable thoughts flittered into his head as he stared into the dancing flames. Several minutes passed before Dawson descended the staircase again, letters in hand. "Here you go, I'll tell you if I get anymore of them." Scorpius was taking the letters from the Head Boy as the portrait door swung open.

He looked over his shoulder and saw _her_. After days of thinking about nothing except her; her voice, her smile, her eyes, her touch, she was finally standing in the same room as him. Scorpius felt his heart speed up, and he thought she was thrice as gloriously stunning as his memories replayed. Her delightful timid smile on display for him, her bright eyes shining.

She was rummaging through her bag, walking towards them, not have noticed the visitor yet. "Dawson, I have the finished draft of the prefects schedule, I made a second copy for you, and I just need-oh hello!" When Rose looked up she was surprised to find Scorpius lounged on one of the chairs, Dawson standing next to him. The witch paused for a moment, before speaking up again in a kind voice, "how are you? Is your shoulder feeling alright?" Scorpius watched as her smile grew larger, more stunning, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. She was looking at him with happiness and genuine concern.

In that moment Scorpius knew he had never seen a more exquisitely gorgeous creature in his life. She radiated beauty, her presence bringing Scorpius to a strange calm state. He cleared his deep masculine voice, standing up and looking down at her, a barely there smile on his lips. "I'm fine, my shoulder feels perfect actually. Thank you again for that."

A pretty blush appeared on her cheeks, causing Scorpius endless joy, and she looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. "It was really no problem, Mister Malfoy."

"Scorpius, call me Scorpius," the blonde replied in his husky voice, staring down into her eyes. A smile fully appeared on his frosty aristocratic features, secretly shocking Dawson, who was silently watching the entire encounter.

Rose bit her bottom lip and slowly nodded her head at him, her long silky locks slipping off her shoulder, begging Scorpius to run his fingers through them. "Scorpius, then." She gave him one last smile, showing off her bright white teeth and an adorable one sided dimple on her cheek, as turned back to Dawson. "Anyways, here is the next months schedule. Could you just check it over and make sure I didn't make any mistakes?" She handed the black hair boy a thick roll of parchment, and looked up at him.

"Sure thing, Rose." Scorpius hazily heard Dawson reply, as he felt his cousin's inquisitive stare leave his face, so he could nod and grin at the small girl.

Rose beamed back at him, "thank you." She faced Scorpius again still biting her lip as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Scorpius." He then decided that he could listen to her say his name until the end of time. The brilliant soft blush returned to her cheeks as she whispered her farewell to the pulchritudinous Slytherin. As she turned and walked away, Scorpius watched her hips sway, feeling his stomach twist. Just as she got to the opposite staircase, she turned back and glance at him one last time.

For several moments after she was gone Scorpius just stared where her figure disappeared. "What in the hell was that?" Scorpius heard Dawson ask. The wizard turned back and saw him with a look of awe on his face.

Ignoring his question, Scorpius asked, "who is she?" For a second he could swear he saw a dark look flash across the Head Boy's features.

"The Head Girl," was the only tense reply Dawson gave.

Scorpius rolled his excited eyes, "well I fucking knew that. _Who is she_?" Scorpius' mind was reeling with happiness and delight. He had finally found her, after days of wondering. And Merlin, she was angel, perfection in its truest form.

Dawson gave Scorpius one last look and replied. "Rose Weasley."


	3. Chapter 3

I would just like to thank all of the faithful readers I have! Reviews are much appreciated; please comment any ideas, comments, or questions you have!

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 _"Weasley._ " Scorpius repeated that one word over and over in his head. His steel grey eyes stared up at the forest green canopy of his four poster bed, like he had been for hours. It had been two days since he had learned Rose's identity. And now, she was stuck like glue to the inside of his brain. He knew this was just the twisted ways that fate worked, and that he had probably done something to deserve this, but he couldn't help to feel overwhelmed with disappointment.

She could have been _anyone_ else and Scorpius would have been free from all complication. But she wasn't, she was a Weasley. And a damn nice one at that.

He knew it was wrong to think constantly of her, he knew he shouldn't praise and worship her with every second of the day, but he did. He had tried to stop, he really had. For the past 48 hours Scorpius had tried to empty his mind from all thoughts of the divine girl, but he simply couldn't. Scorpius had gone through several different tactics to rid his thoughts of Rose; readying all Quidditch plays for the entire year, spending hours with his nose up a book studying, even sitting in the common room the whole night talking to his mates. But none of it worked, in fact, he now felt the need to make up for all the time he had wasted when he could have been trying to grab the attention of the auburn haired beauty.

Scorpius knew that even if he was able to do this, it wouldn't go well. Strictly because of their backgrounds. He knew his family would never approve of her; well everyone except his grandfathers would support him, but nothing happened without their direct permission. And even if he was somehow able to obtain his grandfathers' blessings, he was positive her family would never accept him, being a Malfoy. "Fuck it all," he swore quite loudly into the empty dorm.

He blamed this all on his family, it was them who decided to form enemies with the Weasleys. But why should he care who his grandparents do and do not care for, after all it was his life.

He suddenly sat up, the gold snitch he was playing with, falling out of his large palm. In that exact moment, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy resolved that he didn't care what his family, or anyone else for that matter, thought. He was going to do what he wanted to. He had finally found something that pleased him immensely, and he wasn't going to give that up for anyone.

' _Sod it,'_ Scorpius thought to himself. He was going to make Rose Weasley his.

* * *

For the next several days Scorpius kept his eyes trained for the tiny goddess. Now that he was looking for her, he realized how much they crossed paths, and couldn't fathom how he hadn't noticed her before. The following week he had learned they had a total of three classes together, also she spent most of her evenings in the library and was rarely ever alone. She was always either with Albus Potter, or her two Ravenclaw friends, Robert Belby and Elliot Hillard. Scorpius despised all three of the boys, purely for the amount of time they got to spend with Rose.

It was Wednesday afternoon, when Rose shocked Scorpius and left dinner alone, this was the first time Scorpius saw her travel unaccompanied. He had been sending hidden glances her way the entire meal, watching her laugh merrily with her friends. Scorpius observed her as she slung her bag over her shoulder, waved to her friends, and gracefully made her exit. The stealthy Slytherin watched for several moments, making sure no one followed her, then made his move.

As he got up, his friends objected, "Scorpius mate, where you going? I thought we were gonna play a game of poker with Macnair tonight? We've been waiting all week for this." Several pairs of eyes were then upon him, watching and waiting for his response.

Scorpius looked at Macnair and shrugged, turning back to Luciano and Quinn. "I have something I need to take care of. I should be in the common room soon, though if I'm not, start without me." The blonde then swiftly turned on his heel, stalking out of the hall, leaving his company no time to reply.

Once out of the grand room, Scorpius turned and swiftly made his way towards the library, hoping she would be there as she often was. He pushed one of the large oak doors open, nodding to a hello to Madam Pince, who sat quietly at her desk. Scorpius started a slow, quiet trail around the empty library.

After five minutes of searching with no luck, Scorpius was just about to make his way to the exit when he heard a small noise, a sigh of frustration. He quickly rounded one of the towering bookcases, just in time. Rose was standing on a chair, pushing herself onto her toes as she reached high above her head for a book. Scorpius frozen for a moment, his eyes greedily taking in the long golden legs peeking from under the hem of her raised skirt. She pulled him out of his trance when she let out a squeak, and all of a sudden, a dozen large texts fell from their spot on the shelf, tumbling onto the small girl. Rose was pushed from her precise spot on the chair, falling towards the ground.

Scorpius ran towards her, quickly grabbing her waist and pulling her up into him just before she hit the hard ground. She instinctively grabbed onto his arms, holding onto him for support. He looked down to see her eyes squeezed shut, with her mouth formed into a pouted frown, preparing herself for the impact that would never come. After a few seconds Rose realized what had happened, and she let out a small sigh of relief as she looked up at him.

Scorpius felt her heart speed up in her chest against him, when her bright blue eyes met his silver ones. Small fists were tightly gripping his biceps, his own were on her slim waist, feeling the warmth that radiated beneath her clothes. Her breath was pushed up onto his face, and it smelt of delicious apples. They stayed tightly pressed against each other for several moments. And after a long silence Rose swallowed and shyly spoke up to him. "Thank you so much. I can be awfully clumsy sometimes."

The tall boy gave Rose a small smile, rare for him, and ever-so gently began rubbing one of his thumbs back and forth over the curve of her waist. He watched as her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but she gave no other reaction. "It was no trouble at all," Rose smiled sweetly up at him, "though I must ask why you didn't just use your wand."

Scorpius' heart sped as he watched the delicious blush he was already so found of spread itself across her cheeks. He felt an odd sort of pride in knowing he was the thing that caused that reaction. He felt one of her hands start to fiddle with a loose thread on the shoulder of his uniform, knowing she wasn't aware of her movements. "Oh, well, sometimes I seem to forget I'm a witch, and have a wand. I guess I'll always be used to doing things the manual way. Silly of me, really." Her cheeks were now tinted a beautiful berry pink.

"I don't think so." Scorpius had his charming crooked smile on. Rose bit her bottom lip lightly and looked at the ground, some of her long locks slipping off her shoulder and into her face. "Can I help you grab something," he asked in his handsome low voice. Rose nodded, her gaze returning to his strong face, taking in all his cold features this time.

Rose pulled herself out of his embrace, much to Scorpius' dismay, and looked back at the shelf she was previously reaching for. "I was trying to grab that large red one, ' _Goblin Wars of the Fifthteenth Century'_."

Scorpius stepped up to the shelf, pushing her chair aside and easily snatched the book of her desire. Turning back to Rose, he stretched the book out to her, feeling her cold fingertips brush with his. "Thank you," her pretty voice whispered across the small space to him. Rose looked up at him, staring deep into his icy grey eyes covered by fluttering blonde lashes. Just as she took a step closer, words forming on the tip of her lips, someone yelled her name from behind.

Hearing her name shouted, Scorpius looked over Rose's head and saw her two Ravenclaw companions behind her. Rose quickly turned around at the sound of her title, unconsciously taking a step back, nearing Scorpius. "Rosie, what happened? You said you were just going to grab a book, it's been twenty minutes." Robert stepped closer to the couple, staring oddly at the pile of fallen books.

Rose followed his gaze, and with a quick flick of her wrist, all the books reappeared at their rightful spot on the shelf. Scorpius stared in awe for a moment, completely impressed and shocked at her abilities. "Oh, um. I had trouble grabbing my book, but Scorpius was kind enough to help me." The sweet blush lingered on Rose's cheeks, as she stared at the ground, looking guilty. "Sorry to keep you waiting, I didn't mean to worry you," she added in an apologetic tone.

Elliot wheeled himself towards Rose, a skeptical look upon his handsome features. Elliot Hillard, a dashing muggleborn seventh-year, had been paralyzed from his hips down since he was four. He had been part of a terrible car accident, and had no other choice but to use a wheelchair. By the time he had arrived at Hogwarts, magic offered him no help, it had been years since his accident. Rose quickly became his first friend when he arrived at Hogwarts, as she was one of the few people who didn't judge him on his disability. " _Malfoy_ ," Elliot asked aloud, not bothering to hide his disbelief. "Right, well, let's be on our way now, Rosie. We have a load of second-years that need help with their History essays."

Robert nodded by Elliot's side, and stepped forward to grab Rose's bag from off the ground, carrying it for her. Rose quickly looked back at Scorpius, her plump pink lip between her sharp teeth. Rose turned back to the Ravenclaws, and whispered something to them. The two boys looked around the small girl, to stare at Scorpius for a moment, before slowly turning and making their way out of the library.

Rose stood their for a moment, with her back to him, slowly taking deep breaths. She took a few hesitant steps back towards Scorpius, before smiling brightly at him. "Thank you, again." She softly pushed her chair back to the table it belonged at, and started on her way out. Just before she left his sight though, she turned around, "goodnight, Scorpius."

* * *

The towering blonde whistled as he made his way back to his familiars, hands deep in his pockets, head in the clouds. Scorpius had his signature smirk on his lips, his eyes holding a new mischievous sparkle to them. He felt as he did when his father handed him his first broom, like the time he caught his first snitch, when he was able to tell his grandfather he was sorted into Slytherin. Scorpius half shouted the password at the portrait when he arrived at the common room, his mind still back in the library.

"Finally. You took your damn time didn't you, Malfoy?" Macnair sneered when he saw the peculiar smile on his classmate's face. "What's got you so happy? Finally got yourself a good fuck, did ya?" Terrance Macnair barked out a laugh, and noticed Malfoy was now back from whatever trip he had been on. "You gonna play or what?"

Scorpius glared down at the cocky boy, sitting in a seat between Quinn and some sixth-year. "Just deal the cards, and keep your damn mouth shut."

Two intense hours later, Scorpius stood from the round table, seventy galleons richer. His father had taught him the ways of wizarding poker when he was fifteen, and Scorpius had never lost a game since. Most of the men objected when they saw him stand, wanting a chance to win their money back, though they all knew it was futile. "What boys, in the mood to lose your pants too?" Scorpius just laughed, waving to his mates, walking down the cold stone stairs to his dorm.

He was sighing as he pushed his door open, one of his hands coming up to stroke the neatly trimmed blonde beard he had worn for the past few months. He thought of the scarce glorious minutes he was able to spend with his beauty, wishing he had more. Scorpius made his way over to his desk, throwing down his bag, and carelessly tossing the galleons down. As he turned back around, a loud shout of surprise escaped him when he saw someone laying on his bed. "What in the bloody fucking hell are you doing here," he yelled at the girl.

Velma Elswood had herself perched up on his pillows, her legs draped over his bed, a promiscuous smile on her lips. Her short blonde hair was mussed, a troublesome glint in her brown eyes, and she was wearing one of the smallest nightgowns Scorpius had ever laid his eyes on. "Hey, Scorp," she murmured in, what Scorpius assumed was, a seductive voice.

He rolled his eyes when he saw her rub her legs over his silk bedding, and harshly threw a throw blanket at her. "Cover your damn self, Elswood." This wasn't the first time Velma had tried something like this, in fact she had been chasing after him since first year when they were both sorted into Slytherin, and she heard his title. "You look like a fool," he added in a rough tone.

Velma flung the blanket off of herself, making sure an ample amount of cleavage was pushed out as she crawled down his bed towards him. "Oh, come on, Scorp," he scoffed at the annoying petname, "I know you can't resist me. Just let your body have what it wants. It's alright, I won't tell anyone." Her painted red lips pouted for him, and he couldn't help but notice how much better it looked when Rose did it.

Scorpius laughed out loud at the obvious lie, knowing she would scream it from the highest rooftop. He pushed her away from him when she ran her hands up and down the front of his shirt, trying to slip buttons from their holes. She just let out an annoying giggle and intertwined her fingers with his belt loops, pulling him forward. "Enough," Scorpius snapped at the wanton girl, trying not to hurt her as he pulled her off his bed and walked her to the door.

As she unsuccessfully tried grabbing at Scorpius' manhood, he stepped away breathing hard, trying to rein his temper. "Velma listen, I don't want you. Okay? I'm sorry, I don't want to seem cruel, but I am not interested in you in any way possible. I don't want to date you, I don't want to shag you, I don't even want to be in the same room as you. So please, do us both a favor and stop this." Scorpius opened the door, pushing her out of it, and slammed it in her sulking face. "God fucking dammit," Scorpius swore, roughly stripping out of his clothes, his temper at an all time high. Luciano walked into the dorm at that moment, taking in the state of his enraged friend, chuckling. "What is it!"

The Italian simply held his hands up, starting to taking his own uniform off. "Just saw Velma walking back to her room in a rather interesting state of undress. Is it safe to say the harlot had another go at m'boy?" Scorpius nodded, combing his fingers through his neatly trimmed blonde beard.

When he was down to only his black boxers, he flopped down onto his bed, this pale glory going ignored by his companion. "I honestly don't know what I have to do to get it through her thick skull that I don't want her," Scorpius explained exhausted.

Luciano smacked Scorpius foot as he passed, walking into their bathroom. Right before he shut the door, he yelled back, "I don't know, man. All I can say is that if I had Elswood chasing after me, she'd get shagged so hard she'd forget her own damn name." He let out a light laugh, and then Scorpius couldn't hear anything more from him.

Scorpius just shook his head, turning over in his luxurious bed, breathing deep into his pillows. His last thoughts before drifting into a night full of sleep was how nice Rose's soft body had felt beneath his fingertips.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

Scorpius slyly looked up for, what had to be, the twentieth time that afternoon. He peered from beneath his shaggy white blonde hair, his silver eyes casted on the small bundle of books and parchment that was Rose Weasley. It was the third time that week he had gone to the library; he wasn't peruse stalking her, just watching her every moment that he was allowed. Scorpius enjoyed watching her. He liked learning her habits, observing her reactions, and seeing her odd behaviors, that he effortlessly became so fond of. But most of all Scorpius loved viewing Rose while she was studying, deep in thought, the rest of the world going unnoticed. And that was why you could have found him deep in the emptiest part of the library that Sunday afternoon.

No other soul was around them, as no one bothered with that particular section of the library, which was what attracted Rose in the first place. He noticed she went to that spot a lot. He noticed many things about her, and he enjoyed nothing more.

Scorpius had been sat there for an hour, having snuck in, and crept to a secluded table in the shadowy corner of the room. Rose sat several tables down, having yet to notice him, all of her attention devoted to the work surrounding her. The enchanted boy watched as she bit her lip in frustration, twirling a strand of her lengthy locks between her tiny fingers. Her other hand ran delicately over the soft page of the text she was reading, her fingertips lightly skimming the words as she took them in. He watched her chest rise and fall at a steady slow pace, breathing as if she was completely absorbed in a heavy slumber.

Rose suddenly sighed in irritation, pulling all her supplies off herself, sitting straight up in her chair. Scorpius swiftly sunk back in his seat, cautious not to be seen, watching Rose stretching her thin arms high above herself, letting out a small groan as her body shifted back into place. He pulled up the random text he had swiped from a shelf on his way to his hiding place earlier. As she curiously gazed around, surveying her surroundings, Scorpius tore his eyes from her, staring at the open page in his book.

Scorpius stayed like that for several moments, holding his breath in his chest and praying he would go undetected. After a couple minutes passed in silence, Scorpius looked up, his eyes going straight to the spot Rose had been occupying before. His paused when he saw she was gone from her burrow, her belongings still scattered all along the table. His heart entirely gave out when he heard the small clearing of a throat beside him.

The Slytherin whipped his head towards the noise, and gaped when he found Rose standing several feet away from his table. She was wringing her hands together, looking extraordinarily nervous, digging her toe into the carpeted ground. Rose cleared her throat again quietly, then looked into his eyes as her sweet voice spoke to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just was over there when studying and I noticed you, which is odd. Not many people come to this section, you see. And I was just wondering if maybe you would like to join me?" The pretty girl smiled up at him, her blue eyes sparkling with optimism and a sliver of fear.

Scorpius was unable to do anything but stare at the angel in front of him, a blank look on his cold face. After a few moments of silence, Rose looked down at her twisting feet, embarrassment consumed her features, as sadness slipped into her eyes. "Oh, uh never mind, that was stupid of me. I shouldn't have bothered you. Sorry, I'll just- um I'll go." She stuttered out her words, refusing to make eye contact with the emotionless, stony man.

Rose was halfway back to her table, tears building up in her throat and biting her lip bloody, when he shouted for her. "Wait," Rose quickly swallowed before looking back at him, "I'd actually be delighted in joining you. That is if the offer still stands?" Scorpius was now standing, book in hand, his eyes questioning her. He watched as the best smile he had every seen timidly made its way onto her lovely face. She nodded at him, waiting for him to grab his bag and catch up to her, before walking the rest of the way.

Scorpius' brain was reeling, still not properly caught up with reality. He sat himself on the opposite side she had occupied earlier. Rose settled back into her nest, propping her books back into her lap, and timidly stole a glance at her company. Scorpius gave her a crooked smile, opening his book to a random page, settling into his seat, pretending to read.

The boy secretly watched as Rose quickly sank back into her hypnotic state of studying. Scorpius didn't know how much time had passed when she looked back up at him, but he knew he could have stayed in that seat for an eternity. When the little Ravenclaw caught the Slytherin staring, her delicious blush returned, and she blinked several times before speaking to him. "That's a wonderful book you have, it's not subject related though. I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but I have to ask, do you enjoy reading?"

Scorpius' low honey voice melted off his tongue as he replied, and Rose couldn't help herself as stared at his lips, enjoying the sound of his deep grumbles. "I have enjoyed particular novels before, but not normally, no." Rose watched his masculine pale hands tenderly cradle the hardcover, mesmerized by the way his thumb carefully flipped the edge of the pages over again as he read.

Words flew out of her mouth before Rose realized what she was saying, "what do you like then?" A tiny hand came up to cover her mouth, and before Scorpius could say anything, Rose was mumbling on. "Oh, I'm so sorry! That was quite rude of me, much too noisy. I didn't mean to make you-"

He only smirked, and Scorpius cut her off before she could apologize any further. "Quidditch," he paused enjoying the way her face scrunched up in confusion, "I enjoy Quidditch. Well, flying really, but the only time I ever do so is when I'm playing." Rose blinked at him, and nodded, a small whispered ' _why?_ ' was the only response he got. "The feeling I suppose; the rush of adrenaline when you're that high, the feeling of the wind brushing past you. The view is spectacular, too. Once you get a taste of flying, you're addicted. When I was young and was given my first broom, I loved it so much I found myself constantly looking upward, wishing I was high in the sky." Scorpius stopped, realizing he had been rambling, probably boring her with his lengthy explanation. But when he looked back up and saw awe in Rose's eyes and a smile on her lips, he then suddenly didn't regret anything.

"That sounds marvelous," Rose spoke back to him, "I don't think I've ever met someone so passionate about flying, or really anything for that matter." He grew happier, knowing she was speaking the truth. "Thank you for telling me that, Scorpius."

He felt his heart speed up when her lips caressed his name, "Rose." Scorpius didn't realize had had muttered out loud until she looked at him, a curiously pleased look marring her features.

Rose felt giddy when she heard her title, never before having felt that way when someone did something as simple as speaking her name. "You know my name," it was an obvious question, but she felt impelled to ask.

"Of course," Scorpius replied, never breaking eyes with the goddess before him. His mind was far away on cloud nine, his heart hammering in his chest. Rose's smile reappeared and she simply stared back at him, wanting nothing less than for the moment to end.

Seconds ticked by, and Rose suddenly jumped, "do you happen to know the time?" She had asked him in a slightly panicked tone, and after glancing at his wrist watching and telling her the hour, Rose was suddenly moving in a flurry. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said to him for the umpteenth time that night, "I promised my brother I would meet him a half hour ago." While she shoved all her possessions in her bag. Scorpius stood too, trying to think of any excuse he could use to get her to stay just a minute longer.

Just as she turned to leave, she took a stride closing the distance around the table to Scorpius, looking high up into his eyes. "Thank you again, I enjoyed my time with you. Goodnight, Scorpius." When Rose reluctantly walked away from the boy that seemed to be seeping with beauty and charm, she heard him say his goodbye to her, watching her with desolate eyes.

* * *

Quinn hid his smirk as he watched Luciano pester the hell out of his other best mate. The obnoxious boy had been tormenting Scorpius all day long, and if Quinn was going to be honest, it was more than amusing. Luciano had at last noticed Scorpius' odd behavior and the distance we was suddenly putting himself at, Nott having detected it days before. His blonde friend had abruptly been acting extraordinarily peculiar, he was never around and when he was his mind was never with him. Scorpius had been making obvious lies to get out of all responsibilities, running off to only God knows where, and Luciano was apparently fed up with it.

"Mate, it's alright. If you're gay, you can just tell us, you don't need to keep sneaking off. We won't judge you, right Quinn?" Luciano looked back at long time friend, but the honey haired boy simply chuckled and help his hands up, motioning that he wasn't part of their argument.

Scorpius sighed, taking longer strides as he unsuccessfully tried walking from his intolerable friend. He shoved Luciano's hand off of his shoulder as he walked past the Slytherin portrait, plopping himself on a leather bound sofa. "I'm not a fucking homosexual, you know that, you wanker."

Quinn wisely choose to sit across from the angry Malfoy, rather than next to him like the so called 'wanker' did. "Well, if you aren't a secret arse bandit, where the hell are you always running off to? Why do you keep lying to us?" Luciano pushed on, but Scorpius just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his broad chest. The tanned boy suddenly became very serious, nearing his friend. "Mate, if something's wrong you can tell us. We've known each other for more than seventeen years, we'll always have your back. You don't have to hide things from us."

Sitting up in his chair, Quinn nodded and let out a sigh. "Odd as it is, he's right, Scorpius. If you need help just come to us, you don't need protect us from anything. We've seen your worst, man." Quinn gave a genuine, yet small, smile to his blonde companion, reaching across to give his knee a rough shake.

Scorpius peered hard at his familiars for a few long seconds before running a hand through his silky locks, nodding. "I know guys, and I really appreciate that. But honestly, nothing is going on. I'm not in trouble, I'm positively not gay," he gave Luciano a mean glare as he said this, "nothing is wrong. I am truly fine, and I appreciate both of your concerns." Scorpius stood, digging his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers as he did. "Thanks though, I know you two have my back."

Luciano watched Scorpius retrieve down the stairs, his tall features quickly fading into the darkness of the dungeons. He looked over to see Quinn with a inquisitive look on his ivory silhouette, his hand were squeezed together in his lap. "Do you believe him," he asked the silent boy.

Quinn came out of his trance, finally looking a Luciano. His mismatched eyes tightened, and his caramel hair shook as he gave a curt nod. "For now," his spoke so only his friend could hear, his intense gaze returning to the place his friend had just vanished.

* * *

"...push, you lazy sons of bitches!" Scorpius screamed through the whipping wind, spitting endless commands at his team. Practice was scheduled to have ended two hours ago, and his team was aching all over, but their captain continued to push them on. The sky was fading from a dark purple to the blackness of night, stars beginning to peek from their places high above them. The air was crisp, the bitter cold of autumn biting at their uncovered faces, cheeks tinted crimson. "I know damn well you can all do better than this, you bunch of pathetic tossers."

All of the Slytherin Quidditch members groaned at Scorpius' cruel words, their bodies hardly able to keep themselves in the air. They had been pushed to impossible lengths by him for the past several hours, and it was showing in their performances.

Scorpius looked around, feeling the air thicken as a barely there mist came down. The castle was illuminated with warmth, candles flickering in every large window pane. He heard the trees brushing in the winds, and strange creatures calling out to each other. Platinum eyes scouted his environment, and doubled in size when he saw the tiny black dot that was a figure hunched in the corner of the stands. He was on the opposite side of the field, and could hardly see anything from the shade of the night, squinting through the thin fog.

"Oh, come on, Malfoy, you've dragged our asses to Hell and back. We've done enough for tonight, besides we have the field booked in two damn days!" Scorpius heard Zoee yell across to him, two of the sixth-years, Cliff Montgomery and Eduardo Bass, nodding in agreement with her. He vaguely caught Luciano shouting something unmannerly at him, but he was too concentrated on the looming form to pay any attention to them.

Still looking at his person of interest, Scorpius inattentively waved his hand at them, "yeah, fine. We're done for tonight, go on then." He hovered in his spot high up, watching as his team was gone and out of sight in a matter of seconds. Scorpius slowly snuck around the field, flying close to the stands, nearing the observer and making sure he was not spotted. He felt the mist become a slow drizzle, still unaffected by it.

Scorpius watched as the petite shadow stood up, beginning to leave. He nearly fell straight of his broom when he saw long waves of auburn locks blowing in the wind. "Rose," he shouted unsure, and the unidentified girl turned around, possessing a guilty yet pretty look. He flew over the rail of the stands, landing gracefully next to the last person he expected to see.

Rose smiled at him, her cheeks rosy from the cold, her navy trench coat tight around her. Scorpius admired her obvious good looks, but gave her a questioning look. "I didn't think I was going to get caught," he had to take a step forward to hear her hushed confession.

The quiet beauty took in his appearance; his long locks windswept, his face painted red from hard work, his light lips parted. She took a moment to appreciate how ruggedly handsome he looked in his uniform, never have given the ensemble a second glance before. As he took another step closer though, Rose gave away to her foolish thoughts, trying to remember the technique to breathing.

"What are you doing here?" Scorpius was truly befuzzled as to why Rose was spending her Tuesday night out in the bitter cold, watching her classmates toss balls around. When he saw her shiver slightly, he stepped forward and put both of his hands on her upper arms. "Merlin, you must be freezing to death."

Rose just shook her head, smiling from the warmth his hands brought to her. She could smell perspiration mixed with the masculine scent of leather and something spicy like scotch coming from the wizard. "No, I'm fine, really," Rose promised. Scorpius, however, didn't believe a thing she said. He gently gripped her arm tighter, pulling along with him as he tried to get her back to the warm castle as quickly as possible.

"Why are you here," he repeated his question, reveling at the amount of contact he had with his dream keeper. They made their way out of the tall stands, the sky now spitting harder on them, rain rolling off their clothes in slow trails.

As she crossed her arms over her chest for warmth, Scorpius' hand now on the small of her back, Rose spoke up to him. "You'll think me odd if I tell you," she said, slightly embarrassed by her own actions.

Scorpius looked down at her, a smirk in place, "I swear I won't. Besides, it can't be any worse than the thoughts I've conjured on my own." He barked out a laugh when he saw her blush, his hand slowly rubbing tiny circles on her back.

"I suppose that's true. Alright, you promise you won't think I'm strange if I tell you?" Rose asked him timidly, still nervous at her proximity to the handsome man. He nodded, and the genuine look on his face told her he wasn't lying. "I know this might sound peculiar, but after you told be how much you enjoy flying, I've been unable to rid you of my thoughts. I keep replying your words, recalling your joy as you told me about it. And, well, I heard that the Slytherins had practice tonight, and I couldn't seem to help myself. I was hoping no one would spot me though. I hope you don't mind me intruding."

As she stared at the ground looking ashamed, Scorpius noticed how her hair was now heavy with wetness, watching as a small raindrop rolled down the curves of her face. She seemed so unaffected by the rain, and that seemed to leave Scorpius wondering. When he didn't say anything, Rose continued, "I saw what you meant. When you flew, you looked so at peace. It was mesmerizing, I've truly never seen such passion before." He knew she was anxious when he felt her heart begin to race as she awaited his reply.

Scorpius stopped walking suddenly, his escort doing the same, and he looked down at her. After a moment of her refusing to look at him, Scorpius tilted her chin up with a feather light touch, and he felt himself drown in her orbs. "I don't mind, really," he paused for a minutes, watching her take her lip between her teeth. "You don't have to be scared of me, you know."

Rose was shocked at his words, and felt guilt absorb her. Without knowing why, she steadily reached out, grabbing his fingertips in her hand. "I know."

The tall boy smiled crookedly, feeling like a silly child. As they began walking the rest of the short distance to the castle's entryway, the sky cracked above them, screaming out. Scorpius watched as Rose jumped slightly, side stepping towards him, and he felt her tiny grasp on his fingers tighten. He smiled to himself, rushing her forward, getting her out of the cold mean rain.

As they entered, warmth engulfed them both, making a quick job of drying them. Rose admired the way the flames of candles danced across his features, enchanting him. His hair was now slicked back, and she watched as a drop of wetness dripped off his blonde beard.

Before she had a chance to run off again, Scorpius twisted his fingers in hers so he was now gripping her small hand entirely in his. An inaudible gasp left her as his thumb traced her hand, "goodnight, Rose." And in a very old fashion and gentlemanly manner, he raised her hand up to his mouth, and gently laid a light kiss on the back of her hand. A small gasp escaped the witch, and their eyes stayed locked the whole time, as sparks shot through her from the barely there touch.

Rose, taking in his scent one last time, smiled contently at him. She memorized the way his baritone voice murmured her name, saving it for her dreams. "Goodnight, Scorpius," she whispered her familiar phrase to him, cheeks tinted.

As Scorpius watched Rose leave him, he couldn't do anything but stand there like a fool, feeling his stomach squirm with joy.


	5. Chapter 5

As she sat perched on the edge of her chair, Rose couldn't stop her mind from, yet again, recalling his scent. It was warm and fiery, she remembered. Leathery, like the interior of her father's automobile. Spicy, like her uncle Bill's liquor cabinet. Sweet, like her grandmother's delicious cherry pies. And something Rose wasn't able to identify, befuddling her.

"Rosie!" she gasped when her name was shouted impatiently at her. "How are you suppose to help me if you keep dazing off every three seconds?" Albus, short-tempered as he was, sighed dramatically next to her.

Her cheeks heated uncontrollably, and Albus couldn't help but let his irritation melt away, knowing she meant no harm. "I'm sorry, Al. I don't know what's wrong with me! For the past few days my mind has been escaping me, no matter how hard I try to stay focused." He noticed her apologetic tone, and smiled, nudging her leg with his.

"It's alright, Rosie doll, happens to all of us. But I really do need to get this damn essay done. Think you can help an old champ out?" Albus felt triumph when Rose laughed at his playful tone, nodding and scooting closer to him. She brushed her hair out of her face when she leaned forward to look at the progress he had made.

"Albus Severus! How do you expect me to help you if you can't do any work on your own?" Rose tried maintaining her reprimanding tone, but when she saw his puppy dog face, she broke out in tiny giggles. "I'm serious Al, I can't help you the rest of your life," but she was unable to finish her sentence when Albus' face became ridiculous with a silly pout.

Her light tinkling laugh was joined with Albus' deeper one, and soon there were clutching their stomachs, Rose's head laid on his shoulder. Nathaniel Wood and Frank Longbottom were suddenly at the pairs side, sneaky smirks in place. "Now, what's got you two laughing your pants off," Nathaniel asked in his slippery Scottish accent.

Frank squeezed himself next to Rose on her chair, forcing her to half sit on him, and ignored Albus' mean glare when he draped his arm over her shoulders. It was no secret Frank had fancied Rose since they were introduced when they were only tiny babies, and even after persistent yet gentle rejection from her, he still continued trying. Albus was always their to bat off his best mate when he got too comfortable though, along with the army of other boys.

"To be honest," Rose said in between little giggles, "I'm not quite sure myself." Like usual, she was oblivious to Frank's intentions, always too caught up in the moment to notice the boy's light flirting.

"Probably heard one of Albus' weak attempts to be humorous," Nate sighed, patting Albus on the shoulder. "I've told you, man, leave that to me. My natural wittiness and charm is enough for the both of us."

Albus whacked Nate hard in the stomach, causing the wizard to double over. "Shut your mouth, you git. I have the ladies crawling at my feet." Which wasn't quite the truth. Albus yelled as Frank leaned in close to Rose, trying to get a good whiff of her, "oi! Get away before I make you, Frank. And stop trying to bloody sniff her, would you!"

Rose blushed when she turned to see Frank leaning over her, and she stood, resting her bum on the arm of Albus' chair instead. "Besides, you two need to get moving. Rosie is helping me, so I _don't_ fail potions. I don't need you pests here to distract."

"Aw, Al come one, no need for all the attitude. We know when we're not wanted, right Nate?" Frank looked to the freckled boy, who pretended to look hurt. The two of them eventually swaggered off after some time, laughing about only Merlin knows what, drawing attention from all as they vacated.

Three lengthy hours later, Albus had himself a flawless essay on _Skele-Gro_ , and Rose had herself a crick in her neck and the feeling of sleep drowning her. Everyone had long since retired to the comfort of their beds, and Rose was beginning to envy them. "Ah thanks, Rosie! You're brilliant, you know that? Absolutely brilliant."

Rose chuckled at the over-zealous boy, looking lovingly at her best friend. "I've told you before, Al, it's no problem at all. Next time just try and not leave it until the night before, hm?" She helped him pack up, grabbing her own bag, and smiled at the warmth of the sparking fire. Rose had always appreciated the comfort and friendliness that the Gryffindor common room possessed.

"Let me just go drop my bag off, then I'll walk you back," said Albus as he hurriedly turned towards the boys tower, not wanted to leave her for long.

She reached out to him, holding his arm before he could get far. "No, it's fine. I can walk myself, you really don't have to go all that way. Besides you look exhausted."

Albus stepped towards her, a concerned face that masked the one her father always wore. "Rose, it's really no trouble. I don't want you walking alone, something could happ-"

But Rose cut him off with a slim finger pressed to his lips, "I'll be fine. I promise you, nothing will happen." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "It's safe here, you know that. Nothing can get to me.. _he_ can't get to me. I'm a big girl, I can make it back to my own dorm perfectly fine." She stepped in, embracing him around his middle to give him a massive hug. "Go to bed, Al."

After a moment of internal debate, his fatigue won, and Albus slowly nodded at her. He bent and kissed the top of her head, giving her one last squeeze. "Night, Rosie." She smiled back at him, standing her place until she was sure he was tucked tight into his bed. Rose glanced around the room once more, admiring its every feature, before she started her extensive trek back to her home.

The corridors were all hallow with the darkness of night, and not a soul was to be seen. A brisk draft blew through the castle, causing the small Head Girl to shiver and pull her jumper close to her. The trail back seemed endless, and Rose felt as though she would never arrive in front of the two chess engaged men.

As she turned a corner, Rose let out a small shriek when she slapped straight into a body. When she got her footing again, she looked up and let out a cry of happiness when she saw her company. Arnold Finch-Fletchley and Lilac Richmond, the seventh-year Hufflepuff prefects, were staring at Rose with looks of panic. "Merlin! Rose, are you alright," Lilac said, stepping forward and putting her hand on the shaken girl's shoulder.

"Oh yes, I'm so sorry. You just gave me the scare of my life, is all." Rose had her hand over her heart, trying to steady its erratic pace. After several apologies from each student, the Ravenclaw was again making her way in the velvet blackness. She knew she was nearing her portrait, when she passed through the long corridor that was lined with great suits of armor. This particular passageway had never bothered her before, but when she heard a soft clack of metal, Rose panicked. She was full on sprinting when she reached her destination, wishing she hadn't stupidly denied Albus' offer.

She quickly spit the password to the pair of concerned gentlemen, rushing an apology, and hurriedly stepped inside, slamming the portrait behind her. Rose leaned against the back of the door, closed her eyes, and tried to regulate her breathing. But when she heard the polite clearing of a throat, she swiftly looked around the room.

Sitting in chairs across from each other at the small table, was Dawson, and to Rose's utter dismay, Terrance Macnair. They way they sat with official looking parchment all spread about, making them look like business partners, rather than the close friends she knew them to be. Dawson looked anxious as he took in the appearance of the frazzled girl, but Terrance just glared at her with his usual unpleasant, judgmental look.

Dawson stood immediately, walking closer to faint girl. "Are you alright, Rose," he asked, his arms outstretched, although he made no move to touch her.

Getting a grip on herself, Rose nodded, a thankful smile in place. "Mhm, just scared myself, I think. It's silly, I do it all the time. Thank you, though," she rested a gentle hand on his arm, and she could practically feel Terrance's hateful glare as she passed by him.

Rose had never know why, but she had always been thoroughly spooked by Macnair, although she would never admit that to anyone. She didn't think it was right to harbor rude feelings for another when they had done nothing to deserve it. He just had this strange atmosphere about him, and she was always sure to never leave herself alone with him.

Once in her room, Rose collapsed on her bed, reminding herself of how foolish she had been. She was sixteen for Merlin's sake! She should be able to walk herself home without having a fit, and she was beyond thoroughly embarrassed with herself.

Pulling her current novel off the bedside table, Rose settled into her cocoon of pillows. She had always been a involved reader, easily falling into the plot of every story. And so as she read small gasps and sighs could be heard from her, as she fervently took in every word, appreciating the authors work.

A number of chapters later, Rose's eyelids began drooping, her head lolling to the side. She slipped off her bed gracefully, and began neatly ridding herself of her uniform, going as far as folding it before putting it in her hamper. Rose had just put on her pajamas, a short nightdress made of a soft blue cotton, when she heard a quiet knock. Walking over to the door, she brushed her fingers through her long locks and made sure she had no knots, a trick her mother had taught her to keep her hair silky. Rose was surprised to see Dawson standing on the other side of her door, although she logically knew it would be him. "Oh, hello Dawson," she softly said in her musical voice.

"Rose," the shy boy nodded to her, "I just wanted to make sure you are alright. You looked pretty shaken, I was worried for you." Rose missed how his eyes lingered on her body, appreciating her every feature. For her age and petite size, Rose was rather well endowed, with perky supple breasts. The rest of her was thin, too skinny most thought, but she owned a pair of immaculate legs; slim and tanned golden. Dawson knew, from experience, how difficult it was to keep his eyes off her. He had no idea how she didn't notice the constant stares she received from others.

"Oh yes, I'm fine," she said while tossing a hand in the air, twisting one of her smooth legs with the other. "Thank you, though. I appreciate your concern." Her smile was alluring as she returned her hand to his upper arm.

Dawson nodded, "good, that's good. Well, goodnight then." His sharp dark eyes stole one more look at her before return down the stairs.

When she walked back inside she checked that all her windows were locked, and made sure the bathroom and closet doors were shut tight. Rose returned to her bed, crawling into her sanctuary, admiring the feel the soft sheets against her skin. She curled up into a tight ball, wrapping her hands together, snuggling into her pillows.

And for the millionth time that day, wishing she could collect some of it for herself, Rose remembered his scent. The gloriously addictive scent that was Scorpius Malfoy.

* * *

Calculated grey eyes stared out the fogged glass windows, watching as a hawk soared high in the sky, skimming the tops of trees, utterly carefree. His rough fingers were skillfully tapping a beat onto the top of the wooden table he was sat at. To an outsider, Scorpius Malfoy would have looked frustrated or impatient, but he felt an odd sense of peace as he sat there, in the back corner of the library, hoping for certain company.

He watched as the hawk swooped down low, letting its body coast on the wind. Scorpius was exceptionally grateful that his body didn't jump when he felt a tap on his shoulder, thanking the Gods he was able to control his instincts. Turning in his chair, Scorpius felt his stomach leap when he saw the tiny witch he prayed every night to see. He still wasn't sure why he was so drawn and attracted to her, but he certainly wasn't planning to put an end to his behavior any time soon, if ever.

Shifting her books in her arms, Rose pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, and he could almost feel her nervousness. "Would you mind if I sat with you," she asked, her face turning bright as she anxiously awaited for his permission. Seeing him nod, Rose quickly settled herself down, sitting in the only char left, which happened to be next to the mystifying Slytherin. "Thank you," she said quietly, once she was all sorted.

Scorpius smirked internally when he noticed his plan of getting her closer to him had worked. This was the third day in a row where Rose had seeked Scorpius out, wanted his company while she studied, and Scorpius knew he had never been more pleased. He enjoyed sitting with her even more than he enjoyed watching her, realizing how much her beauty was amplified up close.

Rose why unsure why, but she continuously put herself in Scorpius' company, even if she knew she got much less work done when she was with him. When they weren't engaged in a conversation, Rose constantly thought about the boy beside her, sneaking looks when she could. And today, sitting a small distance away from him, she was able to deeply inhale the scent that recently plagued her senses.

The couple stayed silent, both occupied in their own pastimes, when Scorpius heard a lovely melodic sound. Rose was oh-so softly humming, a sweet tune the pureblood boy didn't recognize. Closing his eyes, he appreciated her beautiful voice, reminding him of when his mother use to sing to him when he was a child. Scorpius was sure Rose wasn't aware she was singing, and would be mortified if he were to interrupt, so he stayed silent, keeping them both at peace.

Some time later when the soothing noise came to an abrupt halt, Scorpius peeled his eyes open, looking over at his companion. Rose's face was scrunched in confusion, and Scorpius felt himself smile at her endearing face. She suddenly looked to him, and he could easily detect the debate in her eyes. "Scorpius," Rose said shyly to him, even though she was sure she already had his full attention. When he hummed back at her, she went on, "could you read this to me?" Scorpius stared at her, suddenly very befuddled. "I just don't understand it. And it usually helps me comprehend better when others read to me. You don't have to, I just-"

All at once, Scorpius shut Rose up as he gently grabbed the book out of her hand, clearing his throat. "Here," he asked, pointing to the spot he knew she left off, she nodded. " _In the mid sixteenth century, over one thousand muggle women died due to various worldwide witch trials. Salem of Massachusetts, United States of America, held one of the world's largest witch hunts, killing over 300 alone. Women were accused of witchcraft and executed for the following; reading, swimming, writing, not wishing for children, holding good health at an old age..._ " Rose felt her mind get lost with his words, greedily accepting every deep honeyed sigh that he let out. She knew she could sit there for hours, listening to him, enchanted by his smooth pink lips. His deeps rumbles going straight through her chest, causing her to feel like she never had before.

Rose almost let herself whine when he stopped, ending where she requested him to. Scorpius looked up a her, and smirked when he saw the mesmerized look on her pretty face. "Was that alright," he asked.

"What, oh-yes! Thank you so much," a brilliant blush warmed her face, making it difficult for Scorpius to keep himself from ravishing her. "You have a lovely voice," Rose whispered, almost afraid of his response.

Scorpius left out a low grumble, making Rose smile delightfully at him. "Why, thank you, Rose," she loved it when he said his name, never liking it so much before. Pushing his limits, Scorpius did something he knew could have cost him her presence.

Leaning forward, he rested his hand beside her own on the edge of her chair. Scorpius put his face close to hers, praising the goddess in front of him, and wishing that moment would never end. "You have quite the irresistible voice yourself, Rose," he watched as he breath blew a few strands of hair from her face.

Lost in his scent, Rose unconsciously leaned forward, staring deep into his cloudy eyes. Seconds before she was able to reply, a deafening bang was heard throughout the entire library. Staring into her bright doe eyes, Scorpius relished that moment, before leaning back onto his chair before she got uncomfortable.

Rose stared at the blonde boy, confused and captivated by his strange actions. She had never met anyone quite like him, no one had ever treated her so right before. Proving his effect on her, she said something she knew she never would have said in her right mind. "I like spending my time with you." She held her breath, wishing she could have sucked her words back in.

And Scorpius was sure that if he was shot a dead man that very second, he wouldn't have a single complaint.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you to all my readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it is the longest so far; Rose and Scorpius get to know each other on a bit more of a personal level, and it is one of my favorite chapters. Please leave reviews!

* * *

Scorpius had always been able to admire all forms of true beauty , and so he knew autumn in Scotland was one of the most glorious things he could appreciate. He felt deeply content as he walked into the crisp November air, wind blowing his hair until it became untidy. As he closed his eyes, he inhaled the thick scent of chimney smoke, and the sickeningly sweet smell of freshly brewed butterbeer. He and Quinn made their way through the busy Hogsmeade streets, sitting on a bench outside of the Three Broomsticks, silently watching the chaos around them.

Luciano had left them hours ago, giddier than a child on Christmas morning, as he took Zoee on their first official date. Scorpius watched as a pair of first-year boys held their heads close, excitedly chatting about their new purchases from Weasleys' Wizard Wheeze, which recently had come to replace Zonko's Joke Shop. He stopped peering at them, however, when he heard the voice his brain was trained to listen for. "Alright, thank you again. I'll see you soon!"

Scorpius seemed to stop functioning when he saw his beauty leaving Tomes and Scrolls. Rose was smiling stunningly, as she excitedly look over her new purchase, a small orange paperback. Scorpius thought she looked completely stunning, dressed in a pastel red coat, with her legs covered with thin black tights. He watched as she snuggled into her knit black scarf, completely absorbed with her novel.

The observant Slytherin suddenly panicked, something he rarely did, when he saw Rose turn into an alleyway between two tall buildings, instead of the next road ahead. He sat still, forcing himself calm, as he knew she would realize her error soon enough. Though when several long minutes passed, Scorpius felt the dread push itself back up, causing him to bite the inside of his mouth with anticipation. He waited, staying still as a buck with his eyes trained to the opening of the alleyway.

When he heard it, a far off shout of protest, he jumped up immediately. "I'll be back," Scorpius said to Quinn as he shoved his earlier buys at him. Waiting no more than a second to see his friend give him a peculiar look, Scorpius was off quickly walking in the direction Rose had disappeared.

The back street was long, longer than he knew it to be, with the ground slicked from perspiration, and smoke filling the walls. With every inch he got closer, he quickened his pace, and was soon full on running. Hearing another small yelp, Scorpius felt his heart painfully beating, his shoes slamming hard against the ground. "No, please stop. Get away!"

Turning a small bend, Scorpius suddenly found Rose, backed into a dirty corner. He noticed how entirely out of place the small, pure girl looked in her surroundings. He spotted her book lying on the ground next to his foot, but paid no attention to it. Scorpius could only see the hunched back of a short, greasy man covered in filth. Neither of the two noticed the tall blonde, "come on, darling. A pretty thing like you should be taken care of... allow me."

Stepping forward, the grimy man ran his sooty fingers along the side of Rose's face, trailing down and shoving her coat off one of her shoulders. She pushed herself farther into the corner and turned her head away from the hovering man. A cry escaped Rose as she pleaded, "please, please! S-stop." Her mind wouldn't allow her to think, to help her escape, it was just as trapped as she was.

Rage suddenly filled Scorpius, never having felt that much fury in his entire life. Quickly stepping forward, he grabbed the man's shoulder, ripping him off Rose and throwing him onto the stone ground. "Oh," Rose exclaimed when she saw her savior, but when she stepped closer to him, Scorpius roughly shoved her behind him.

"Stay," she heard him growl, and saw the red anger that filled his eyes when he looked back to her. Rose whimpered, nodding and scooting closer behind his tall frame. The man was suddenly on his feet, wand drawn and pointed into Scorpius' face.

"How dare you," the shrill scratchy voice of the wizard yelled, and he took several steps closer to the couple. "How dare you, boy," the man repeated, and Scorpius reached around and put a hand on Rose's arm, needing to make sure she was there. She felt protected and reassured by his small touch. "She's mine, I spotted her first!"

When the filth covered man drew his wand back dramatically, Scorpius suddenly had his in his fist. Rose heard Scorpius quickly whisper a spell she had never heard, and watched as silvery blue ropes shot out of his wand, wrapping around the attacker. The old man fell to the floor in a matter of seconds, twitching and muttering nonsense. The wizard looked as if he was having a seizure of sorts, and the Ravenclaw ached to know the spell he used. Rose had never seen such quick wand work, with the exception of her parents and uncle.

Scorpius turned around, and got a good look at her for the first time. She looked heartbreakingly frightened, with dried tears on her cheeks, and panic in her big blue eyes. Rose couldn't stop looking at the man, lying on the wet ground thrashing about. The witch bit her lip furiously, chewing on it without thought. Scorpius quickly swooped down and grabbed her dampened book, stowing it in his inner jacket pocket. When he stepped closer to her, Rose was frightened out of her stupor, stepping back until she remembered who he was. Grey eyes watched as her full pink lip was released from between her teeth, as her gaze went to him. "Come on," he said as he grabbed her small, shaking hand.

He waited until they were nearly out of the alley before he stopped again, "are you alright, Rose?" She looked up at him, trying to comprehend what had just happened. And all of a sudden, Rose had launched herself on him, arms clasped at his neck. Scorpius responded immediately, wrapping his strong arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Rose closed her eyes, laying her forehead on his chest as she breathed in his calming scent. "Thank you," he heard her muffled voice say. An extreme joy filled Scorpius when he felt her snuggle into his chest, knowing she felt protected by him right then.

They stayed in each other's embrace for, what seemed like, forever. But Scorpius internally groaned when he felt Rose pulling away, as she looked up at him. He knew he couldn't bare to see her go, so he grabbed his chance before it was too late. "Can I take you somewhere," he asked and quickly added, "you'll be safe with me, I promise."

She looked into the beautiful eyes she had recently become so familiar to, and just knew she could trust the man in front of her. "I'd like that," Rose nodded, feeling like she had just made the best decision of her life.

* * *

The streets were nearly empty when they reemerged, most everyone was in shops or enjoying a hot meal. Rose walked close to her savior, putting only a few inches between them. She noticed how charmingly suave he looked; with his white blonde hair messed about, and his strong athletic frame in an all black attire. She thought he looked like a dark night from one of the muggle fairy tale stories she faithfully read when she was smaller.

Rose hadn't a clue where they were, or where they were going, but that was the farthest thing from her mind. She tried, with extreme difficulty, not to imagine what would have happened if he hadn't come. She felt safe and guarded when she was in Scorpius' presence, she knew nothing could get to her when he was around. "I suppose I owe you, don't I? This is the third time you've saved me, I'm beginning to think I should just keep you with me at all times."

Scorpius chuckled, at what was suppose to be the ridiculous proposition, but secretly wished she would do as she said. "I'd be more than happy to do just that, Rose." As she blushed at his daring words, Rose slowly wrapped her small hand around his upper bicep. Then looked sideways at him, almost asking if it were alright, which Scorpius thought was adorable. "Almost there," he announced, and Rose was grateful, as the wind had just began whipping the freezing air around the two.

The elegant boy led Rose on an intricate path, taking her into a deep part of Hogsmeade she had never been before. When he began walking her through a tight space between two buildings, Rose spoke up. "Um, Scorpius, are you sure-" but her words stopped when they suddenly arrive in front of a small, but friendly, looking restaurant. "What is this," she asked when her curiosity got the best of her.

"Bentley's Pub," Scorpius said kindly, enjoying the look of awe on his pretty companion's face. "A friend of my father's owns it. It technically isn't in Hogsmeade, but what Headmistress doesn't know wont hurt her." Scorpius laughed when he saw the horror in Rose's eyes.

She looked around for a moment, "what? Scorpius, this is against the school rules. We could get expelled for this, we need to go back now. Come on!" Rose began tugging on his arm, but soon realized her strength was nothing compared to his.

Scorpius stepped close to Rose, causing her to forget her desire to vacate, and he put his hands on her lower back. She felt the delicious burn his touch caused, and he felt the alluring softness of her skin through all her clothes. "Come on. No one will know we're gone, and if someone does, I'll take all the blame and say I stole you." He could see the humor in her eyes, and knew she was breaking for him. "Come on, Rose. You're safe with me, remember?"

Rose sighed and nodded, allowing Scorpius to walk her into the warm air of the pub, inhaling the delicious smell. "Ah, young Scorpius Malfoy! About time, I was wondering when I would get to see that pretty face of yours again." A rather misfortunate looking man stepped forward, with a teasing smirk on his face. He stepped and embraced Scorpius, as old friends would do when reunited. "How are you, boy? You know I was just having drinks with your father last Saturday, I'll have to be sure to tell him I saw you."

Scorpius chuckled at the eccentric man, use to his overbearing attitude, "I'm fine." He faced Rose, grabbing her hand lightly and he pulled her closer to him, as the queer man noticed her for the first time. "Bentley, this is a friend of mine, Rose." She smiled when she heard Scorpius, but realized he was probably just being polite, and didn't think of her as anything more than a study buddy.

"And what a very beautiful rose she is. Good company you've chosen, Malfoy." Bentley smirked and winked at Scorpius, when he bent to kiss the back of Rose's hand. "Well, let's not waste time, I've got two handsome young mouths to feed!" Bentley straightened, clapping his hands excitedly. He grabbed the menus from the waiting host, "the best table for you two, me thinks." Scorpius put his hand on Rose's lower back as they walked through the tight tavern, keeping her close.

Rose stood on her tiptoes for a moment, and could see a small back room, filled with tasteful older men who were smoking and drinking expensive cigars and liquor. The two students were led to a cozy corner table, and Scorpius moved quickly to help Rose remove her coat and pull her chair out. "Thank you," she said shyly. And as Bentley was leaving, he turned and flashed Scorpius two thumbs up behind Rose's back. "It's lovely here," she said after a moment of silence, looking all around her.

The candles lighting the restaurant gave Rose a glorious glow, the flames flickering and dancing over her features. Scorpius noticed for the first time, a cute dimple on her right cheek when she smiled, suddenly wishing she would smile even more. "My father takes me here all the time when I'm home. One of our traditions, I suppose." Rose nodded, peering at the odd looking people that filled the rest of the space.

"Are you excited for November break next week? To see your family?" She asked, and wondered if she had pushed her limits when a blank look came over her opposites face.

Scorpius shrugged, bouncing his foot up and down, "I suppose." His answer was unenthusiastic, and Rose felt a strange guilt as she took a small sip of the ice water she had ordered. "Are you," Scorpius asked genuinely curious.

He watched as her entire appearance brightened, sitting up in her seat, she excitedly replied. "Oh yes! It feels like I haven't seen my family in ages. I'm thrilled for our family dinner, I always help my grandma with it all, you see. And my cousin, Roxanne, says she has news to tell me. Which is strange of her, cause she normally isn't the type to keep things a secret. And my uncle Charlie will be visiting from Romania, this year." Rose embarrassedly quieted down when she realized she was rambling on, but Scorpius thought he could listen to her chatter for hours, fond of her passion. "Sorry," she whispered, blushing.

He was about to tell her how he didn't mind, when two gentlemen suddenly arrived at their table. "Scorpius," a friendly olive skinned man shouted merrily. Rose looked and saw two older men immaculately dressed, with their own breathtaking aristocratic traits. She noted Scorpius rising from his seat, wearing a genuine smile that showed off his perfect teeth.

"Blaise, how are you," he asked, giving the dark man a hug, slapping each other on their backs. Scorpius reached for the taller man with striking green eyes, hugging him too, "Theodore." The pale man gave him a warm smile in reply, eyes trained on the dainty honey haired girl, sitting prettily at Scorpius' table.

Rose could detect an Italian accent when the tanned man, Blaise, began talking again. "Oh fine, fine. But how are you, son? Well, I would hope," he paused, but only for a moment before he began eagerly speaking again. "I'm going to see your father tomorrow night actually, funny as it is. And what a coincidence we would find you here, though i'm not very surprised you're bending the school rules, ay Nott?"

The man finally spotted Rose, and went on again before anyone could get a word in. "My, my, who is this gorgeous young lady," Blaise asked while picking Rose's hand off the table and kissing it, for the second time that hour. " _Ciao Bella_ ," he whispered into her hand with a delectable charm. He turned back to Scorpius, "care to introduce your beauty?"

The young Malfoy gave the older man a warning glare, one Blaise had often received from Scorpius' father growing up. "Not today," the blonde said dangerously, making his intentions clear.

The hiding man, Theodore, decided then to speak for the first time. "Perhaps it's our turn to take our leave, Zabini. We have a show to catch." The Italian gave Rose on last look, making her squirm in her seat, before he smiled cheerfully at the two, saying his goodbyes.

Once they were gone, the two sat in a silence, observing as the men exited. Scorpius watched as Rose adjusted her silverware, aligning them in a perfect row on her thick cloth napkin. When she looked up and noticed Scorpius staring, she blushed and looked away. "Sorry, habit," Scorpius didn't say anything, and was surprised with her next inquiry. "He seems to be quite popular, your dad. What is he like? And your mum, too." He noted how she was suddenly very attentive, waiting for his answer like a student in their first potion lesson.

He thought for a moment. Scorpius had never described his parents to anyone, as everyone he knew already knew them. He traced a finger over one of his thick eyebrows, a habit he used when deep in thought, and watched Rose stroke the edge of her napkin repetitively. "My father is," Scorpius paused, thinking of the right words, "serious. He's deliberate and stern at times, but I think he can just get too absorbed with his job. He's nice though, takes care of us. You can tell he really cherishes my mother, too."

Rose had a peaceful smile on her face, as a child would hearing a story before bed. "And my mother," Scorpius need no time to think of her. "She's wonderful. She keeps my father sane, as he does for her. She can be a bit overbearing occasionally, but she's always been like that. At times I think she cares for me a tad _too_ much."

Scorpius watched Rose tilt her head back as she laughed. "It's her job. She only wants what's best for you, I'm sure." Just then Bentley returned, smile in place, ready to take orders.

He turned to Scorpius and asked, "this usual for you, my boy?" Scorpius nodded, and the older man moved onto the auburn haired miss. "And for the lady, would you like to try my special; steak and kidney pudding." Rose looked flustered, not having even peeked at her menu yet.

"Oh, no thank you, though I'm sure it's delicious," Scorpius chuckled at her need to reassure. "I'll have the cream of spinach soup, please." Bentley promised her it would be the best she ever had, and was on his way, guaranteeing their food would be up soon.

Scorpius was intrigued, he had never seen anyone turn down Bentley's famous steak. "Don't like kidney pudding," he asked politely.

Rose pushed some hair off her shoulder and shook her head. "Oh no, I don't eat meat," she said casually, and Scorpius thought her crazy, never having met a vegetarian.

"You don't like killing animals," he asked, becoming nosy with questions. Rose didn't mind though, she hardly noticed.

"Well that, and I'm just not a massive fan of the flavor. The taste is too sickening for me." Rose answered, just as there food arrived, and her mouth watered from the scents. She watched as a large lamb roast, with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli was set in front of him.

Scorpius looked up guilty, "should I have gotten something different?" When he began picking up his plate, Rose rapidly intervened.

She quickly reached across the table, putting a hand on his forearm, and carefully pushed his plate back down. "No, no, no! I really don't mind, eat whatever you like. It truly doesn't bother me, though that was really considerate of you."

The blonde looked carefully at her, "you're sure." And when Rose nodded reassuringly, he nodded back at her, and began to eat his meal. Scorpius watched with interest as Rose stirred her soup in one full circle before stopping and going in the other direction, continuing this pattern. The two ate in a comfortable silence, secretly enjoying each other's presence. Halfway through dinner Rose began swinging her leg slowly, softly tapping what she thought was the table, but was actually Scorpius' leg. He never dared to tell her though, knowing she would stop.

When Scorpius' meal was gone, he noticed Rose still had half of her own left, but had quit eating awhile ago. After their dishes had disappeared, a large slice of raspberry cheesecake was quickly placed in front of them. "Oh goodness, I couldn't possibly. I'm completely stuffed," Rose said when Scorpius handed her a fork.

"Come on, Rose. I'm not the biggest fan of sweets, but this the best cheesecake money can buy." Scorpius looked calmly into her big ocean orbs, silently begging her. When Scorpius had his fork, with a generous piece of cake, in front of her mouth seconds later, she reluctantly agreed. She looked at him for only a moment before slowly leaning forward, taking the savory dessert between her enticing plump lips.

Scorpius' mind was far off, fantasizing about what he could do with those lips, when she let out a heavenly moan, so quiet Scorpius almost didn't hear it. He burned that image of Rose into his mind; licking her lips with her eyes closed, and a deep blush from pleasure encasing her.

When Scorpius helped Rose back into her coat, as they took their leave, she noticed the hefty tip he left, large enough to pay for the meal they were told was ' _on the house'_. As they walked back to the front of the pub, Rose stole one more glance at the wealthy men in the smoky back room. When Scorpius held the front door open for Rose, she was pulled into a large embrace from her new acquaintance, being told to come back soon.

The streets were equally as empty when they returned, only a few brave seventh-years lingering, none noticing the strange couple. Rose had her hand back on Scorpius' arm, relishing the warmth radiating off him. The wind stroked their cheeks when it blew, rustling leaves on their branches, creating a soothing melody. She listened as the ground crunched under her feet, and glanced up to see all the stars twinkling high above them. His mesmerizing scent blew across her, and she closed her eyes, letting it bring her peace. Rose didn't know why, but she felt so right, so perfectly in place there next to Scorpius.


	7. Chapter 7

In a thanks for all the amazing reviews and awesome readers I have, I am posting a day early. You find out one of Rose's innocent secrets in this chapter... I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Scorpius stared with heavy eyes, watching dust slowly float through the bright ray of early morning sunlight. He listened to his roommates heavy breathing, occasionally hearing Quinn readjust in his slumber, or a loud snore from Macnair. Rolling onto his side Scorpius stared out his window, now and again seeing various creatures swim by in the deepest part of the lake. There, taunting him on his bedside table, was _her_ forgotten novel, ' _the Catcher in the Rye'_. He had already read it… twice. And he would admit, though only to himself, that he thoroughly enjoy the story. So much he had yet to return it to Rose.

He leisurely sat up and tossed his long legs over the side of his bed, rubbing his tired eyes with his fist like a small child. Rolling his neck, he cracked several other joints that were sore from sleep. Scorpius glanced at each of his dorm mates for a long minute, appreciating the silence that came with being an extraordinarily early riser. The cold dungeon air made Scorpius' bare torso break out in goose bumps, covering the muscles that flexed when he finally rose out of his warm bed.

He grabbed the neatly folded uniform off his trunk, set out the night before by faithful house elves. Scorpius made no noise as his cold feet tread across the stone floor, making their way into the luxurious dorm bathroom. He brushed his teeth and quickly stripped, making sure the shower water was blistering hot. Scorpius turned to the large mirrored wall, taking in all of his pale, toned body. He skimmed his fingers over his newest tattoo, the sharp black ink contrasting with the white skin of his broad shoulder, admiring how well it had healed.

Scorpius rushed into the shower, sighing when the boiling water ran over every inch of his skin, trailing down each curve of his body. He ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair, letting his head fall back under the glorious spray of water. And as he stood there, in the early dawn of day, he thought of Rose and her blasted book, yet again.

* * *

Scorpius listened to his shoes echoing off the walls of the empty corridor, while realizing he needed to come up with more convincing excuses. He had just left his mates, barely escaping their wrath with the shit lie he had invented that time. He was a Slytherin and a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake, lying should be his forte. Scorpius was aware his friends knew something was up, and he was immensely grateful they didn't pry, but he wasn't about to tell them anything. He valued his newly found relationship too much for it be ended from the harsh judgments he would both receive from their peers.

He was stunned when he rounded a corner, and saw Rose nervously leaning against a wall, looking bored as she tied a tiny piece of string in knots. Hearing someone's footsteps she jumped up, smiling greatly when she saw Scorpius standing at the opposite end of the corridor. "Scorpius," the beauty said excitedly, as it was him she was apparently waiting for.

The Slytherin was surprised, shocked to see her deep in the castle's dungeons. He had been on his way to the library to see her, meeting each other to study in the evening had become a habit of theirs. "Have you been waiting for me," Scorpius asked the obvious question, and when she nodded innocently with wide eyes, he become concerned. "For how long," he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion that Rose was completely oblivious to.

Rose shrugged, finally dropping the piece of string to the ground. "Not long, I knew you would be headed to the library sometime soon." She paused, stepping closer to him and dropping her eyes to the floor. She anxiously tugged the end of her skirt, rubbing the pleated material with her thumb. Scorpius patiently waited, and when her doe eyes looked back into his, he could see fear. "Would y-you," Rose stuttered out, feeling like an idiot. She took a deep breath before trying again, "would you like to come somewhere with me?"

The question was vague, but the tall boy nodded with only a few seconds hesitation, trusting her and not asking any further questions. Rose's smile returned, showing off her adorable dimple, and she grabbed his hand with no uncertainty, pleasing Scorpius. She began happily leading the way, so enthusiastic she tripped over her own foot. Scorpius luckily was right next to her, to grab her by her waist before she face planted. "Sorry," Rose said, wasting no time before charging on again, causing the wizard to hide a chuckle.

Minutes later, Scorpius was sure they were somewhere close to the Hufflepuff common room. "Here we are," Rose said, standing in front of a large tapestry. She performed a simple _Alohomora,_ and the tapestry suddenly revealed Rose's personal safe haven.

As she pulled him inside, Scorpius looked around the grand space, taking in all its features. They were standing in the middle of a large room, with impossibly high ceilings and a wall of large windows, reminding Scorpius of the ones he once saw on a muggle cathedral. There were fireplaces on either end of the long room, with several bookshelves pushed against random walls. Various strange trinkets were scattered all around, begging for Scorpius to play with each of them. On one side of the room their was several cozy couches and loveseats, in the middle was a spacious desk, and on the opposite end was the last thing Scorpius thought he would see. Sitting beautifully on display was a glorious grand piano, surrounded by several other impressive instruments.

Scorpius walked over to the sleek piano, completely forgetting his company was watching his every move. He carefully ran his fingertips over each smooth key, familiarizing them yet again. "Do you play," a small voice asked him, and Scorpius nodded without thinking. Rose grinned softly at him, admiring the tenderness he used with the delicate instrument. "Will you play for me someday," the odd Ravenclaw asked, and Scorpius stared down at her, processing her peculiar request.

"Of course," his deep voice promised, and a beautiful smile took over her face. "What is this," Scorpius asked, finally back with reality. The room was immaculate, something he had never seen in the castle before.

Rose had her cold hand back in his warm larger one, and she led him to one of the soft couches. She tilted her head, thinking, as she lit the large fireplace, warming up the space instantly. She looked to him with curious eyes. "You know," she said softly, "I'm not quite sure. I stumbled upon it one day, and have been coming here ever since. Its nice… quiet. No one else knows about it, as far as i'm aware." Scorpius felt an odd joy in knowing Rose trusted him enough to show him her private sanctuary. He was sure no one had ever put so much faith in him.

Rose settled into the opposite side of the long couch, wrapped up in a soft blanket as she took out a book, assuming Scorpius would stay. With never ending interest he watched as Rose slowly fell deep into her story, and smiled when a short time later, the sweet humming started. Her slim fingers stroked the edge of the thin pages, while her lips ever-so slightly mouthed the words she read. Every now and again she would sneak a look a him, smiling when she caught his gaze. After getting an eyeful of her, Scorpius finally pulled out his own work, a DADA essay.

The studious Ravenclaw was utterly absorbed when, a long time later, she heard a scoff from the man across from her. Rose giggled softly when she saw the harsh look on Scorpius' face as he peered at his textbook, grabbing his attention and making him smirk when he saw her silly grin. "What is it," she asked, inviting herself to his side of the couch as she crawled over towards him, her blanket slipping off her.

"This is a bunch of nonsense," he declared, intriguing her even more. Scorpius held back a groan when Rose innocently rested her hand on his thigh, completely oblivious to the sensation she was giving him. She bent over his lap, reading the text from his book, putting light pressure on her delicately placed hand.

Scorpius was struggling to control his breathing when Rose sat up, facing him only inches away. "The Patronus Charm," she asked, her head tilted in confusion, similar to a dog. "You don't think it works," She asked and he nodded, as he chucked at the amusingly appalled look on her face. "Can I teach you," Scorpius could see her enthusiasm, and knew he couldn't resist allowing her anything.

"You can try," he said, watching as Rose pulled her wand out, smiling at him. She suddenly closed her eyes, her entire body going still as she labored her breathing. Her non-wand hand was hovering over the top of her thigh, her wand held in the ready position he had read about. After a long minute she opened her eyes, sighing out, " _Expecto Patronum."_

A glorious ray of light shot out of Rose's wand, twirling around the room in loops. Scorpius held back a gasp when he saw a baby lamb, skipping through the path of silver light, cheerfully bouncing around. He couldn't describe it, but he felt calm, a sort of serenity that he had never felt before. It was as if all his problems were suddenly gone, and all that mattered was following the mystical lamb.

Rose monitored Scorpius, watching his normally cold face become calm and unguarded. When the patronus faded away, Scorpius looked back at her with wide eyes, all his skepticism gone. "Can I teach you," she asked again, and Scorpius just nodded this time. Rose scooted closer to him, and Scorpius could smell the sweet scent of honey brushing off her, mixed with something perfectly floral.

"Alright, this can be fairly difficult, so don't get upset if you don't get it tonight. It took me weeks to perfect mine." Grabbing his hand in hers, Rose continued, "when you actually cast it you're going to say ' _expecto patronum'_ and wave your wand like this." With his hand, she demonstrated the circular motion he needed to use. "But the hard part is what you need to do before casting the spell. You must think of something that has made you extraordinarily happy, the happiest you have ever been. Your mind has to be focused on that one memory, think of nothing else. And when you're ready, cast the charm as you recall the memory."

Scorpius knew Rose had to have made it sound much more simple, as the book said only wizards with complete power over their magic could cast it. So he thought. And he thought, racking his mind of any pleasant memories he could find. He reflected on many things; his childhood, his parents, his friendships, learning magic, flying. But nothing wholly compared to his newest memories, his memories of _her_.

The silent girl watched as his body slumped as he found his tranquility. And she wanted nothing more to interrupt him and ask him what he was thinking of, when the sides of his mouth turned up into a tiny crooked smile.

Scorpius thought of Rose and his body was filled with delight and excitement. He thought all about her. About her beauty, her laughter and smile, her addicting touches, her kind soul, her sweet humming, her strong passion. He felt a soft lull fill him, like the wonderful dizziness you feel seconds before rushing into deep slumber. His brain was thinking separate from his heart as his hand reached forward, and words tumbled from his lips, " _Expecto Patronum."_

His eyes shot open when he heard an alarming gasp, and he looked over to see Rose with her jaw dropped and her eyes wide from astonishment. "Oh, Scorpius," she whispered like a gentle prayer, and when he finally took his eyes off her delicious lips, his saw what she was in awe about.

Marching around the room in it's own cocoon of silvery wisps was a large ferocious lion, frightening Scorpius with the first glance. He smiled, chuckling like a lunatic as he watched his creation stomp and dance around the space. Rose looked at him, a newfound respect for the blonde boy sitting next to her. "Scorpius," Rose repeated, finally regaining his attention. "You- you've done it! You have actually demonstrated a perfect Patronus charm on your first try, i've never heard of that before. That was brilliant- you're brilliant, I can't believe you."

Scorpius had no time to think when he suddenly found a lovely beauty launched onto his lap, hugging him around his neck. "Rose," Scorpius said through laughter, grabbing her slim waist and hugging her back. When she finally pulled away, half sitting on his lap facing him, she had a magnificent smile lighting up her face.

Not able to resist the urge, Rose leaned forward and squeezed Scorpius one last time, resting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned back. "That was truly breathtaking," she said softly, her words blowing hairs out of his face. Rose felt something strange and new erupt in the pit of her stomach when Scorpius' hands found the tiny inch of skin that was revealed when her shirt untucked from her skirt from the excitement. His hands felt fiery, burning her soft skin as his rough fingers cautiously traced tiny patterns. And Rose was shocked, and ashamed, when her body began to ache for him to touch her _all_ over. She wanted to drown herself in his fiery touch.

Her face red with embarrassment, Rose cleared her throat, looking over his shoulder at a ticking grandfather clock. "We should probably go, it's getting late. I would hate for you to get in trouble for missing curfew because of me." But even after her words had been said, she remained in her position on his lap, staring deep in his crystal eyes. Scorpius said nothing, giving her skin one last caress, before letting her go.

The couple was silent as they made their way to the Head dorms, Scorpius having insisted on escorting Rose. The small girl barely was able to fight the urge to reach over and grab his hand as she tried to decipher what the superb shock of electricity she felt from him was, and why she wanted to feel it again. Up until that moment all their touches had been friendly, touches she shared with everyone, but she felt something different. Rose suddenly saw him in a new light, and felt her head pounding with the confusion over her new feelings. Scorpius silently cursed himself, paranoid that he had pushed his limits with her. He was unsure how he would be able to stay away after getting such a glorious taste of heaven.

When the reached the portrait of the elder men busy with their game, Rose had decided that she would forget the bizarre feeling she got, smiling up at Scorpius as she turned to him. Scorpius smiled back at her, relieved. "Will you join me again," she asked with a sweet shyness.

"Of course," Scorpius answered, knowing he was fully unable to turn down any of her wishes. Rose beamed up at him, and he was captivated as a beam of moonlight streamed onto her lovely face, illuminating her.

Rose then said something she felt she might regret, "you know, I really like you, Scorpius. You don't treat me like everyone else does. You don't act as if I can't do anything, as if i'm about to break any minute. You treat me like a person, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. I really enjoy spending my time with you."

Scorpius felt as if he was on a strange high, when he finally heard the words he had wished to hear since he laid eyes on Rose in the infirmary. He knew there was no way in hell he would ever let her go after hearing that. Rose then decided if she was going to be bold, she might as well go all the way.

Standing up high on her tippytoes, and placing her hands on his shoulders for balance, Rose leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on Scorpius rough cheek. She pulled back, loving the sensation of his beard rubbing against her cheek, "goodnight, Scorpius."

Smiling down at her, Scorpius nodded, shocked by her brave actions. "Goodnight, Rose," his voice rumbled as he watched her disappear behind the portrait, smiling all the while. He stayed out there for awhile, his cheek burning spectacularly from the spot her lips had just been. "The lion and the lamb," he whispered quietly to himself, with a pleased grin on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

"Dammit," Scorpius swore loudly, fighting his grin when Rose giggled in triumph. "You're cheating, you cheeky little minx," he accused, finally breaking and smiling when Rose laughed even harder. Shaking her head, she leaned over the side of her chair, clutching her stomach. An extremely amused Scorpius watched, chuckling and waiting for his lady to regain her breathing.

Rose sat up, brushing her mussed auburn locks out of her face. "I have not," she managed between gasps of laughter. "I can't help it if you're rubbish at chess," she teased, completely comfortable around the young Malfoy.

Four games of wizard in chess had been played between the pair, and Scorpius managed to lose each time. He and Rose had spent every minute they could squeeze in together, easily forgetting the rest of the world when they thought of the other. It was a Wednesday night, two days before they left and went to their respectful homes for November break. And though Rose couldn't wait to see her beloved family, she was looking less and less forward to it with every moment she spent with Scorpius.

" _Rubbish?_ " Scorpius asked with false anger, "oh, that's it." Rose saw the playful look in his eyes as he quickly stood up, his chair falling to the floor with his force. The Ravenclaw squealed as she quickly jumped out of her seat, running away seconds before Scorpius pounced. His long legs gave him the upper hand as he easily chased Rose around the spacious room. "No," she yelled dramatically through laughs when Scorpius managed to reach her. Catching her by her waist, he effortlessly tossed her light weight over the back of the couch so she would land on the plush cushions.

Rose popped up from her spot, standing on the couch where Scorpius was _still_ taller than her. She breathlessly leaned forward, putting her hand on his shoulders to keep her from falling. "You caught me," Rose whispered to him, their faces only centimeters apart. She couldn't contain a small gasp when he spread his large hands out on her lower back, pulling her so she was flush against him.

"I always will," his words were a promise and a threat, both exciting Rose. Scorpius' thumbs rubbed against the cotton fabric of her uniform shirt, and she couldn't stop her body from shuttering when waves of pleasure rolled through her, the pit of her stomach twisting with unknown desire. Scorpius had held back from touching Rose since their encounter days ago, but knew he was fighting a useless battle.

Scorpius let her go after a moment of trying to memorize her curves, and walked around the couch to plop down and sit next to her. They sat in a comfortable silence, Rose watching the flames of the fire, and Scorpius watching her. He interrupted her train of thought when he saw her shiver and lean deeper into sofa. "Are you cold," he asked softly, tugging off his grey knit sweater and handing it to her before she answered.

She smiled and nodded at him, "thank you." Rose easily pulled the sweater on, greedily accepting the warmth it brought her. Scorpius smiled seeing how the sweater pooled around her with the sleeves drooping far past her hands, admiring how good she looked in his clothes.

The grandfather clock chimed, and Scorpius was shocked when he looked over and saw it was midnight, unsure as to where the night had gone. And though his brain thoroughly protested, he said, "I should get you back, or else you'll be falling asleep in class tomorrow." Scorpius felt his heart leap when he saw a tiny pout on Rose's face, happy she wanted to part just as much as he did. She nodded, rolling up the sleeves of his sweater in order to pack up, smiling when Scorpius quickly snatched her bag and carried it for her.

The no longer nervous girl grabbed Scorpius' hand as soon as the door was shut behind them. She enjoyed the feeling of his rough palm against her smooth one, and feeling the muscles of his hand twitching as they walked. They strolled slowly, neither one of them wanting to leave each other, and Rose sighed sadly when they got to her dorm. Stepping forward, Rose embraced him, Scorpius hugging her back tightly. When she pulled back she raised up, kissing him on his cheek. "Goodnight, Scorpius," Rose said quietly.

Grey eyes were full of hundreds of emotions in that moment, and Rose ached to know what each and every one was as she stared deep into his gaze. "Goodnight, my little lamb," Scorpius uttered softly to her, causing a glorious blush to color her cheeks as she bit her bottom lip out of habit. And with one small smile, the witch got a good last look at him, hoping it would last her the night, and deserted him as she entered her dorm.

When she shut and locked the large portrait, a giggle escaped her as she thought over the night's events. Rose hardly managed to hold back her yelp of surprised when a voice sounded out from a corner of the room. "Have a good night," asked the boy half hidden in the shadows, watching the girl with fascination. A pair of dark eyes tightened when they spotted the oversized grey jumper on the tiny witch, having just heard the familiar voice of his cousin outside the portrait.

Walking towards the voice, Rose visually relaxed when she saw Dawson lounged in a chair, reading. "Hello," the gentle girl greeted, her head still dizzy from her night with the Slytherin. Dawson's dark eyes focused on Rose as she bit her bottom lip hard to stop from smiling madly, impulsively licking his own. "What are you reading," she asked politely, having forgotten his question.

Dawson, the ever observant boy, noticed the light tint to the Ravenclaw's cheeks, and was _sure_ he had seen that sweater before. He held up his book, ' _Year with the Yeti'_ , and Rose nodded unsure as to why her partner was acting so strange. "Are you alright," she asked, and Dawson's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he regained his cool composure.

"Uh, yes I-um I'm just tired," Dawson half stuttered, half rushed out. He quickly stood up, saying goodbye and leaving before Rose had time to process his words. She stood there for a moment, wondering as to why the Head Boy was always so distant when she became friendly.

That night as Rose laid in bed, she snuggled into the expensive material of Scorpius' sweater, breathing in his delectable scent until she fell into an easy dreamless sleep.

* * *

"There you are," she said, tapping the bony knee, indicating she was finished. She gave a friendly smile to the skinny third-year who thanked her and quickly made his way out of the infirmary. She cursed her Uncle George and cousin Fred II for what had to be the millionth time, proud but annoyed at the success the Weasley joke shop brought them. Yet, Rose knew she wouldn't have half the experience she did without some of their risky products.

The Head Girl began cleaning up, putting various potions away, when her mentor spoke up. "You did perfectly Rose, better than I would have." The young girl blushed, and with a flick of her wrist, old sheets came flying off the bed the Hufflepuff had just occupied, as crisp new ones tucking right into place.

The older woman smiled, as one would to their own child, proud of the young Weasley. "Thank you, Madam Strout," Rose said, feeling Miriam pat her back before departing to her office. Returning to what she had been doing before the boy covered in boils came screaming into the hospital wing, Rose walked over to the spare table facing the windows.

She was almost finished with her task of alphabetizing the bins of potions, but knew there was no use in getting excited, as she couldn't see Scorpius. In the past two weeks they had spent everyday but four together, him having Quidditch practice and her having to help out in the infirmary that night. Rose felt an odd sort of loneliness, but knew she was being ridiculous. She had only known Scorpius for less than a month, and was aware she should not crave his presence as much as she did. She felt completely silly as she worried for tomorrow, the day she would go home on break, and not see him for long days.

Rose stared out the window, uselessly searching the dark night sky for any trace of his flying form. A half hour passed and she was finished. As Rose packed away the organized potions, she felt strange, not knowing what to do if not go straight to _their_ room. After distractedly putting on her cardigan and grabbing her bag, Rose yelled a goodnight to Madam Strout.

Once out in the halls, the Ravenclaw felt her heart speed up in a familiar way when she saw a figure waiting outside. Rose was thoroughly ashamed of herself when she felt it drop when she saw it was only Lily Potter waiting in the hall, not the handsome wizard she was hoping for. "Oh hello, Lily," she girl greeted with warmth, "have you been waiting long?"

The tall girl shook her head, messing her recently chopped off red hair, the current trend going around. "Nah, I knew you'd be out at eight like you always are," the fifth-year said casually. "So," she continued, drawing the word out. "I was wondering if you could help me with something," rubbing the back of her neck like her father did when uncomfortable.

"Of course," Rose replied happily, and the two cousins made their way through the halls. "What can I do?" Lily, the ever suspicious Gryffindor, looked around the hall carefully. Rose was suddenly very intrigued.

Blushing, Lily said, "can we go back to your room, actually." And so the two made their way to the Head Dorms. Rose stayed silent, respecting Lily's wishing to be private, but was dying on the inside. Lily was never one to fluff things up, and so it was strange to see her so clearly nervous.

"Alright," Rose said with slight impatience when they were sitting on her spacious bed, door locked and silenced.

Lily bounced off the bed, pacing the room as she spoke, "okay, I'm going to tell you something, but you have to swear you won't tell another soul. Ever. Not Albus, definitely not James, not my dad or yours, not either of our mums. No one, got it?" The petite girl nodded, and Lily knew she could trust her by the honesty that shone in her eyes. Rose was sort of the family keeper, everyone always going to her with any private information, all knowing she was the safest bet. The redhead twisted her hands, still pacing as she began again, "so I said I need your help, and that's cause I- uh, well I sort of got asked out on a date."

Jumping off the bed, Rose rushed towards Lily dancing and giving little squeals of happiness. "You did? Lily, that's marvelous." Giving her a hug, Rose beamed up at her younger relative.

"Rosie, it's not that big of a deal… I think." The Gryffindor paused, waiting for the overly excited girl to sit back on the bed. "He just asked me to the next Hogsmeade trip, in December. But, well I kinda like him, and I don't want to mess this up. I was hoping you could help," Lily finished lamely.

"Who is it," Rose asked with a devious smile, enjoying as her company blushed darker. The witch found all of it quite exciting, as she didn't have much of a romantic life, or many female friends.

Sitting down, Lily said, "Patrick Lamonda, he's a Gryffindor in my year. He's friends with Hugo, that's how we met. He loves Quidditch, and his mum's an Auror, and oh he's just the first boy I've ever really fancied and I really don't want to screw this up."

Rose smiled as Lily ranted on, not realizing that her mind was sneaking off into thoughts of a certain blonde Slytherin. Both girls were pulled out of their fantasies when a knock was heard at the door. Dawson Pucey's head poked into the room, looking slightly embarrassed when he spotted Rose's company. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll just come back-"

But Lily cut him off, "no, it's okay, I was just leaving," standing and making her way out. When she was almost gone, she turned back to Rose, "so, you'll help me then?" Dawson watched as Rose smiled brightly and nodded encouragingly to the Potter girl. "Great, bye Rosie," and seconds later the two seventh-years heard the common room portrait slam shut.

"Sorry again, I was just wondering if you looked over the Prefect list I had sent you for next month." The dark haired boy said while stepping in after being motioned by Rose.

Smiling again, she jumped off her bed, nodding. "Yes, everything looked absolutely fine, as always," handing back the list. He blushed and thanked her, making his way back out, but turned back and stood, as if he had something to say. Yet after a quick glance at the pretty girl, Dawson said his goodbye and quickly left.

After changing into her night shirt, Rose walked over to her window seat, opening the large window and making herself comfortable. A cool breeze blew in, and she took a moment to close her eyes and enjoy the feeling of it brush across her skin. As she stared out into the starry night, Rose thought of Scorpius, wishing she could be with him that moment more than ever before.

* * *

"Night, Malfoy," yelled Cliff Montgomery, waving as he existed the Quidditch locker room. The sixth-year practically ran out, escaping his Quidditch captain's wrath before he decided more laps around the field were needed. All the other younger years followed his lead, only the seventh-years brave enough to stay with the mean and ferocious Malfoy.

Scorpius looked around at the call of his name, pulled away from his conversation with Zoee. "What- oh, night Montgomery. You did good today." Following Luciano's lead, Scorpius began undressing, not bothering to cover up in Zoee's presence, as she was seen as one of the guys.

Letting out a loud cat call, Zoee ran up and gave a quick smack to the blonde's hard, flat stomach. "Damn, Malfoy. I'm not sure how you don't have yourself a nice English rose by now." Scorpius tensed hearing his beauty's name, and neither Zoee nor Luciano missed it. "Now, now, Scorpius... don't tell me you're hiding someone from us." After seeing his uncomfortable look, the fearless Slytherin teased on. "I mean, after all we've been through together; all the endless night, all the broken bones, all the-"

"Enough," Scorpius shouted, his patients snapping in two. "I'm not hiding anyone, so you can stop your ridiculous demands and get on with your night." The tall man breathed heavily, the toned muscles of his torso stretching with every heave. As Scorpius stood their with only trousers on and his glorious body shining with sweat, he strongly resembled the Greek god Adonis.

Luciano quickly finished redressing, as Zoee apologized, "right, sorry. I shouldn't have pushed." The newly romantic couple grabbed their stuff and left with no other words. Scorpius stood still for a moment, his large fists tightly clenched. He was annoyed not only with his teammates but with himself.

The striking Slytherin finished dressing with only the moon's light, listening to the wind's whistle as it blew through tree tops. After locking up the building, Scorpius made his way out onto the field, eager to go to bed and spend the next day with Rose. When his reached the middle of the large pitch, he stopped and turned to look at the tower he knew she would be sleeping.

As he stared out into the thick darkness, he closed his eyes and recalled the delicious way her figure felt beneath his touch. And when Scorpius tucked himself into bed that night, his body practically vibrated with an unfilled ache for _his_ Rose.


	9. Chapter 9

Hello again! This chapter is a bit shorter than most, but something very important happens. I promise the next few chapters will be longer and exciting to make up for this one. Please review; any ideas, comments, or questions are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Rose smiled as she hummed a pretty melody, her thoughts completely overruled by Scorpius. She could hardly wait for that evening, when she got to spend her last night before leaving with him. She practically skipped as she made her merry way to the library for the occasional Herbology study group she held for fifth-years. Her bright blue eyes were glazed over, her thoughts far off when she was abruptly stopped. "Ah Miss Weasley, just the witch I was looking for."

Headmistress McGonagall stood tall in front of the short young girl, authority practically rolling of her, yet her facial expression softened dramatically for her. Rose stopped suddenly, almost tripping, as images of the girl's clumsy father came into the older woman's head immediately. "Oh, hello, Headmistress. How are you," she asked politely, struggling with the weight of her large textbooks.

"I'm well, thank you, Rose," the Headmistress used her first name, due to fondness for her student. "I'm terribly sorry to inconvenience you, but since my Head Boy is ill as you know, I need you to run a quick errand for me." She paused for a moment, taking a small silver key out of her robe pocket, and held it out for Rose. "I need you to hurry down to the Slytherin common room and unlock their portrait. Peeves has been particularly mischievous lately, and decided to lock the students out of their home."

Rose smiled up at the woman she felt was a second grandmother. "Of course," she promised happily, frowning with a second thought. "Oh, but will you just tell my fifth-year study group I'll be a little late, I don't want them waiting for me forever."

"I'll do you one better," the beautifully aged women said, easily scooping the hefty books from Rose. Minerva winked at her, turning towards the library. "I'll be sure to tell them you'll be on your way."

She took action then, turning and quickly making her way down into the dungeons. With every staircase she went lower, Rose could feel the temperature drop drastically colder, and she wondered how the students were use such frigidness. She gasped out loud when she swiftly turned into the corridor the Slytherin common room was located in, and almost ran straight into someone. The hall was full of students, all agitated and annoyed. "Pardon me," Rose repeated as she squeezed her tiny body through the crowd, getting several glares and shouts of protest along the way.

When she was finally at the front of the mob, she was confronted with all of the Slytherin seventh-years lounged around the portrait looking painfully bored. Her eyes immediately met Scorpius' handsome grey ones, smiling at him before she was interrupted. "What are _you_ doing here," Velma Elswood spat up at Rose venomously from her place perched on Terrance Macnair's lap.

Caught off guard, Rose stuttered when she answered the rude girl. "Oh, u-um, Dawson is feeling poorly, and I'm Head Girl," she explained, doubting any of them even knew who she was. She twisted the key in her hand, and when she tried stepping forward to get to the door, a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Well you can go, we don't need help from filthy tainted blood like yours." Another foul girl, Sabrina Ashwood, said. Rose felt her heart speed up painfully, and she swallowed repetitively to get the painful feeling of tears out of her throat.

Scorpius watched silently, like the rest of the Slytherins close enough to hear the vicious exchange. He wanted so badly to step in, to protect and shelter Rose, but new that would just destroy everything they had. Scorpius had never been more grateful for Zoee, than when she decided to intervene. "Merlin! Just let her open the damn door, you idiots," the taller girl said from her place next to Luciano, holding his hand. "I don't know about you, but I certainly don't fancy spending all bloody night out here." Rose gave a small grateful smile to the brave girl, which was surprisingly returned with just as much warmth.

The girls piped down at the firm demand, but when Velma opened her mouth again, Luciano shouted at them. "Oh for fucks sake, Terrance shut her up, before I come over there and do it for you." The blonde flicked a piece of short hair over her shoulder, angrily sitting back into Terrance's chest.

Rose finally approached the portrait, which happened to be blocked by a certain delectable blonde man. "Hi," Rose whisper quietly, smiling shyly at Scorpius. But she apparently wasn't quiet enough.

"Malfoy, you know her," Macnair asked, thoroughly appalled. The whole crowd hushed down, and Scorpius felt Rose's eyes dangerously lingering on him.

She held her breath, unsure as to why Scorpius hadn't said anything yet. A stiff minute ticked by, and he was suddenly pulled out of his silence. He stared Rose straight in her doe eyes, controlling his facial expressions perfectly and showed no emotion. "No," he said loud and firm, making all his peers smirk in relief.

"Freak," Sabrina taunted in a low voice, causing laughter, but Rose didn't notice any of it. She felt as if her chest punched, and a burning sensation was left behind. Scorpius easily saw the broken hearted expression twisting her charming features. He felt guilt and regret, wishing for nothing more than to be able to pull her into his arms until she forgave him. He saw the tears that sparkled in her eyes, and felt his chest convulse painfully. He felt the exact torturous pain that burned through him after being knocked off his broom earlier that month, when Rose had saved him. ' _And this is how I repay her'_ he thought, disgusted and ashamed with himself.

Rose quickly side stepped Scorpius, wordlessly unlocking the door. She glanced one last time at him, praying her tears wouldn't fall, not believing the man before her was the Scorpius she knew. Rose looked away, and quickly pushed her way back through the crowd, apologizing to all the people she bumped along the way. She stopped for a moment when she was a few corridors away, standing in the middle of an empty hall she choked out her sobs, thankful no one was there to see her.

Little did she know, Quinn Nott had silently watched every moment of the strange exchange between the two.

* * *

Rose ran. She ran faster than she ever had in her life. Rushing past various people, completely forgetting about her waiting fifth-years, trying to get to her destination as soon as she could. She ran to what she knew was safe, her feet slapping the ground hard and echoing throughout the castle. Rose sprinted up flights of stairs, taking three steps at a time. When she finally arrived at the Gryffindor portrait, the Fat Lady could hardly understand the distressed girls words as she whined out the password, but let her in nonetheless.

Rose stumbled in, most of the common room ignoring the entrance. She quickly spotted just who she was looking for, rushing towards the fiery head of hair. "Lily," Rose said as she struggled to breath, falling to the floor in front of the girl, hands clasped in her lap.

The tomboy's eyes doubled in size when she saw the state of her cousin. "Rosie, oh my god. What's happened, is something wrong? Are you alright?" Her questions bled together as she tried rushing them out as fast as possible.

"Albus," Rose breath, tears still freely falling. "Where is he?" The younger girl frantically looked around, unsure of her brother's whereabouts.

"In his room I think," and the second after, Rose was on her feet, running up the boys staircase. "Wait, Rose," Lily yelled in vain, trusting her brother to take care of her sweet relative. Rose ignored all the strange and sympathetic looks, making her way toward the one person she needed. She stopped at his door, knocking and impatiently waiting before she heard ' _come in'_ hollered from the other side.

She barged in wasting no time, and immediately spotted Albus sitting on Nate's bed, disregarding how they shoved something under their pillows when they saw her. "Rosie," Albus asked confused, quickly walking towards the sweeping girl. "What's wrong," he asked simply, but Rose didn't answer, stepping forward and falling into his strong arms.

Albus wasted no time, carrying her to his bed, and settling her in his lap as he sat against his headboard. Rose vaguely saw Nate and Frank sheepishly exit the room, leaving Albus to comfort the broken girl.

Rose sobbed freely into his chest, grabbing the front of his shirt so tight he thought it might rip. Tears and snot pooled onto him, but Albus didn't notice, all his efforts focused on the crying beauty. He rubbed soothing circles on her back, like his mother did to him as a child, rocking her slightly. His other hand was stroking her hair, knowing just how to calm her from experience. "Rosie, what's wrong," he asked, but when she just cried harder, he hushed her, cradling her small form in his arms.

Time passed, and a hour later Albus had managed to relax Rose down to just sniffles. She clung to him as occasion tears silently slid down her face, her hands still clenched to his shirt. "Do you want to talk about it," he used in a soft voice he reserved for just his Rosie. She shook her head, trying to push herself farther into the calming embrace, wishing his warmth could engulf her.

"Alright," Albus said simply, respecting her wishes. And so he sat there with Rose, her head tucked under his chin as he cooed her into a deep sorrow filled slumber.

* * *

That night Scorpius sat perched on the edge of the long sofa, tirelessly waiting for Rose. He had been there alone for hours, his eyes began to burn from staring at the bright fire too long, and his back ached from not moving. He had his hands clenched in his lap, his grip getting tighter with every minute that passed, the knuckles of his hands turning white. The room was deadly silent, and Scorpius could feel himself being pushed further with every loud tick of the clock.

His breathing was slow and steady, but his strong heart pounded in his chest. He knew something was wrong, he knew he had made a mistake. A mistake that could possibly risk him everything he needed and wanted.

Scorpius then did something he rarely ever did, he bowed his head and prayed to whatever God was listening. He prayed and begged that he hadn't lost Rose forever.

* * *

The small girl stood there, hands twitching with each other, as she mentally debated what felt like the biggest choice of her life. Her hair was less wavy and more curled from her horrid night of sleep, her eyes were slightly bloodshot from all the crying she had done, and her lip was bloody from worrying it. Her heart sped up as she made her decision, but she realized that she was being ridiculous, that he might not even be there.

Walking into the room with much more confidence than she had, Rose felt her chest tighten when she saw Scorpius whip his head around from his spot gazing out the window. She felt her heart scream out when she saw the honest look of panic in his normally calm grey eyes. "Rose," he breathed out, physically relaxing when he saw the beautiful girl.

He stalked across the room, reaching her in seconds with his long legs, fearing when Rose took a step away from him. "Rose, I can't-" Scorpius began, but was cut off by Rose.

"Are you ashamed of me," she asked, making everything sound so simple. Scorpius could tell she was being brave, that she hadn't wanted to come see him in the first place. He could see the sadness from the day before leaking into her expression.

Scorpius, thrown off from her sudden question, asked, "what?" He watched as Rose tightly grabbed the hem of her skirt, trying her hardest not to fall apart again.

She took a deep breath before asking again, "are you ashamed of me, Scorpius. Are you revolted and disgusted by my blood status. I need to know." A thick silence fell between the two, the whistling of the wind whipped against the windows. Seconds passed by and the man stayed silent, horrifying Rose with each moment. A minute later the witch nodded, a single tear leaking from her shining eyes, trailing slowly down her face. She had the answer she needed. "I see," was all she said before turning and leaving the room as fast as her body would allow her.

"Wait, Rose I-" but his shouts were cut off by the slamming of the door. Scorpius swore loudly, everything he prayed wouldn't happen, having just unraveled before his eyes. The painful ache was back in his chest, and he felt as though he needed to throw up. The heartbroken look in her eyes haunted him, as he wished he could rewind time.

"Bloody fucking hell," Scorpius yelled. Grabbing the nearest item, a large divination crystal ball, and threw it with all his effort across the room. Glass shattered all over, sprinkling in little shards. Scorpius coughed as he breathed out, sliding against the wall to the floor. And there he sat with his head in his hands, replaying the nightmare over in his head.


	10. Chapter 10

I found that I have extra time today, and thought I would spoil you all with day early chapter, and as promised this post is a bit longer and will hopefully make up for the sad mood I left you all in. We finally got to double digits, 10! This chapter in an insight into the Weasley family- and it was one of the most entertaining and anticipated chapters for me to write. I simply love the Weasley family, and I hope you enjoy my take on them. That being said, _I have a very important question for you all!_

Since I started posting, I have realized that every other day posting is longer than I thought it would be, as silly as it sounds. So, I ask you, my dear readers; would you like for me to start posting every day? _Please give me your answer_! If no one revels their preference, I will be forced to assume you all like the every other day situation, and I will continue doing that. But yes, if you all would like for me to start posting everyday, please let me know, and I will be sure to do so! Again, thank you all so very much!

* * *

Fat raindrops leaked an unsteady path down the soaked window, mimicking the tears on Rose's face. She stared out, curled in a ball, silently allowing herself to break for a moment. Her shoulders didn't shake and her breathing wasn't ragged, but her mind was a storm, and her heart hurt like never before.

She sat alone in the quiet train compartment, shutting herself off from the rest of the world. Rose couldn't stop the image of Scorpius' blank face after confronting him, the way he seemed to be completely unaffected. She truly had thought he didn't care that she was a halfblood, or who her family was... but she was wrong. Rose felt ill, she felt like emptying her stomach, and she felt ashamed that the last thing she wanted to be doing was spending time with her family.

The train raced on, the heavy vibrations of the machine pulsing through Rose, reminding her of _his_ electrifying touch. Thick tears jumped off her face, pooling on her shirt, staining the material. Her hands shook as she tried to bottle in the pain she felt course through her, wishing for nothing more than to be able to fall asleep and not worry about waking up.

A loud whistle rang out, threatening the ten minute mark. The sad girl sighed and stood, wiping her face and any traces of sorrow away. Grabbing her lightened trunk, Rose made her way out, tracking down her cousins and brother. It wasn't difficult to find the rowdy bunch, locating them in the 'Weasley' cabin. "Rosie," yelled Albus when the no longer gloomy girl walked in, a deceiving smile in place. "Where have you been, we looked all over for you."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," said the small girl, sitting next to her brother. "I forgot to tell you I had a Head meeting earlier. I didn't mean for you come looking." Rose bit her lip, shocked at her own ability to lie so effortlessly. She could feel Albus' knowing stare, and she made sure to look everywhere in the small room but into his eyes. Looking to Lily, she changed the subject, "are you excited to see James? I can't believe he was able to take a break from the team to come visit."

Lily shrugged, but Rose knew she was secretly thrilled to see her loving older brother. The train came to a sudden halt and the shouts of impatient families could be heard through the window. Looking over, Rose could see Hugo not bothering to hold back his thrilled smile. "Well, come on then, you lot." He said excited, grabbing his sister's hand.

"Hold on, Hugo, let's wait for everyone," Rose said laughing. Walking through the thick crowd, the Potter-Weasley clan made their way. As the witch stepped of the train, her head spun and ached uncomfortably when she caught a glimpse of the one of a kind white-blonde hair. Rose swallowed hard, but was unable to see anything more as the huge crowd of people towered over her, blocking her view. Pleasant butterflies erupted in Rose's stomach as she spotted the top of a tall ginger head. Unable to contain herself, she began running towards her father when he came into view, jumping into his welcoming embrace. "Daddy," Rose yelled joyfully, returning his hug with just as much love.

Placing a kiss atop her head, Ron pulled back, taking in the sight of his daughter for the first time in what felt like forever. "Rosie," the tall man said tenderly, embracing her one last time before allowing her room to breath. Turning to her beaming mother, Rose stepped forward hugged her with just as much passion. Squeezing her a second longer, the young girl breathed in the soothing familiar scent of her mother, enjoying the way she could feel her heart beat.

Turning back to the crowd, she noticed the others had finally made their way. Hermione stepped forward and placed a hand on her daughter's back, stroking her long soft hair as Hugo caught up with his father. After she was done welcoming her own children, her Aunt Ginny turned to the smiling girl, giving her sweet embrace. "Rosie," her Uncle Harry smiled and winked at her, causing her to giggle.

* * *

That night, after a laughter filled dinner with the Potters, Rose laid in her bed of the room that held all the memories of her childhood. The family dog, a large old golden retriever named Chauncey laid with the girl, completing his duty of protecting her from all evils. Rose absently mindedly stroked the soft fur of the loved dog, her brilliant mind betraying her as she thought of Scorpius.

So there she sat, in the middle of her large bed, wrapped up in his sweater which she had yet to return, breathing in his scent like a drug. Rose sniffled quietly as the endless tears dripped out, praying she could stay quiet enough to not wake her family. Chauncey turned to her, hearing a muffled sob, and leaned forward to lick the fallen tears off her face. "Oh, Chauncey," Rose said, laying her head on her aging friend.

A soft knock scared her out of her trance, and Rose sat up quickly, cleaning her face. "Rosie," Hermione said cautiously as she stepped into the dark room, "are you alright, darling?" Chauncey pressed forward, baring his teeth and growling when the older women walked towards her daughter. "Settle down, you," she warned, tapping protective dog on his nose. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Hermione reached out and stroked a piece of hair out of the girl's face. "I thought I heard something," she explained.

"Oh no, I'm fine," Rose lied, and her mother saw right through it. Silently noting the large, expensive sweater her daughter was wearing, Hermione nodded, smiling.

"Good," she paused, taking in how much Rose always seemed to change in her short leavings. "I've missed you terribly, you know," she informed the beautiful pair of ocean blue eyes, that she had fallen in love with years ago.

Those words broke her, and Rose crawled on her bed, into her mother's safe arms. "I missed you too, mum," she girl said, laying her head on her mother's breasts. Silent tears snuck from Rose, but Hermione said nothing when she noticed them, knowing it was best. Rubbing soothing circles in Rose's back, Hermione held her sweet daughter until she fell asleep in her arms.

* * *

"Upsy daisy," Ron's rough voice chuckled as he grabbed Rose's arm to prevent her from falling, after apparating. "Still got your two left feet," he said jokingly, knowing he was the reason she was so clumsy.

Hermione, who had just apparated with Hugo, walked up and smacked Ron on his arm. "Don't tease her, she can't help it. Besides, you were just as bad when you were her age." Ron silently thanked Merlin that all the Auror training he had gone through had solved that problem.

All the windows of the old creaking Burrow were lit up with warmth, and loud voices were heard fighting for attention inside. A delicious smell hit Rose, even as she stood a dozen feet away from the home. She couldn't help herself as she smiled hugely, hearing her grandfather try and calm her grandmother down about God only knows what. "Come on, Ro," whined Hugo, and Rose then noticed she was the only one still standing out in the spacious yard. Happily, Rose hurried into the warmth of her grandparents' home.

"Rosie darling," Molly shouted at her charming granddaughter, running forward and pushing people out of her way to squeeze the life out of Rose. The young girl laughed with what air she had left, hugging her grandmother back. "Look at you," Molly gasped, holding Rose at arm length, "do they feed you at school?"

Rose blushed thoroughly, feeling all eyes suddenly on her, examining her. "You're skin and bones, you are, Rosie. You've got to start eating more, or you'll wither away to nothing. You have too much stress on you right now-"

Arthur Weasley, observing the scene, decided then would be a grand time to step in. "Molly, leave the poor girl alone," he said sternly, tearing his wife off his embarrassed granddaughter. Once Molly was off, buggering someone else, he turned back to Rose and smiled. "Sorry dear, you know how she gets. I think you look perfectly fine. How are you, Rosie?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," Rose said, embracing her savior.

"Good, good. That's very good. Well Fred, Roxanne, Lily, and Albus, along with your aunts and uncles are already here. The others should be coming along soon enough. I believe Molly II will be joining us tonight too. It's a pity; it feels like she hardly ever shows her face around here anymore. Never the problem though, we are all just so excited to see you all." Rose smiled, walking into the spacious living room with Arthur.

The Burrow had been redone after the war, still holding the same dozen rooms, all just twice the size. The happy house had been remodeled to fit in the huge Weasley family for all the gatherings. The fire was roaring and family was scattered all over the room on various couches and chairs, all chatting away. Walking in, Rose self consciously flattened the skirt to the dark dress she had worn, down casting her eyes as she slipped into a corner chair.

"Oh no you don't, you little sneak," the hidden Ravenclaw blushed when her closest female cousin, Roxanne, yelled at her from across the room. Springing up from her spot squished between Lily and Fred, Roxanne ran toward Rose. The short girl hardly had enough time to stand up before she was thrown to the ground from the force of the hug.

"Roxanne," the twenty year old was scolded by her mother, "be careful, you're going to hurt her." Angelina yelled at her grown daughter from her spot on a couch beside her chuckling husband. "You're no help, you know," she said with false anger, finally getting George to stop laughing at the scene.

Looking to his daughter, whom was still tackling her cousin with hugs, he said, "your mother is right, Roxanne, get off of poor Rosie." Finally the dark skinned girl rolled off Rose, allowing her to catch her breath. Roxanne suddenly bounced up, helping her cousin up too, all of a sudden in a rush.

Roxanne hugged Rose properly when they were both standing, "sorry, I just missed you, Little brain." Rose frowned at the nickname her older cousin had given her years ago, allowing herself to be pushed back into her chair. "Now, I need to ask you something before all the others get here."

The whole living room got very quiet, and everyone looked at the two girls, causing Rose to shrink back into her chair. "Is something wrong," Rose asked nervously, twisting her fingers together.

"No- well actually it depends on how you look at it. Dad thinks something is wrong-" Roxanne rambled on, her usual talkative self.

Fred II cut in impatiently, "just get on with the damn thing, Roxy. Dinner will be cold by the time you get it all out." Turning and sticking her tongue out at her brother, Roxanne rudely flipped him off in front of the room.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I have a kinda important question I need to ask you. So you remember Ritchie, right," the exuberant girl paused, waiting for her victim to nod. "Good well anyways, he was being a major pansy the other day and decided we need to take our relationship ' _to the next level_.'" Roxanne motioned quotations in the air, rolling her brown eyes. "I thought that was total bullshit, I still do, but then he gave me this big old speech about how much he loves me and all that mushy stuff." The room laughed at the girl's obvious disapproval of affection. "Then one thing led to another, I don't really remember, I was kinda drunk you see. But anyways, long story short, I'm getting married!"

Rose jumped out of her chair, squeals of happiness and excitement escaping her. Hugging her cousin tight, she said, "Roxanne, this is wonderful! Oh I'm so happy for you." Looking around, she noticed no one else seemed as shocked as she was. "Do you all not like him," she asked nervously, wondering if she had done something wrong. ' _No'_ s were heard all throughout, except from a grumpy father and brother.

"Oh, I already told them, sent them all owls." Roxanne explained casually, and Rose suddenly felt very left out. "I wanted to tell you in person, because I was wondering if you would be my Maid of Honor?"

More excitement raced through her, and Rose felt tears of happiness leak out of her eyes. "Of course," she nodded into her cousin as they hugged again. Angelina and Hermione shared a kind smile, proud of their girls.

"Jeez, Roxanne, already got Rosie crying. What did she ever do to you?" Both girl whipped around to see James, fresh from the Floo, having just walked in. The tall and skinny handsome boy stepped forward to give each girl a small hug before they were almost both trampled by a running Lily. She yelled his name loudly, excited as she met him.

Everyone took their turn hugging the lanky man, all having missed him great while he was playing for the English National Quidditch Team. By the time everyone had their fair share of James, all the others had arrived. Charlie, Percy and Audrey along with Lucy and a rare Molly had turned up, Bill and Fleur along with Dominique and Louis had also made their appearance, and they were just waiting on the Lupin family.

The room was loud with voices, but the atmosphere was irreplaceable, everyone cheerful to see each other. "Dinner's almost ready," Molly said as she peaked her head back into the stuffed room. "Does anyone know where Victoire and Teddy-"

"We're here, we're here," a frazzled Teddy Lupin declared as he rushed through the Floo, Victoire two steps behind him. "Sorry we're late everyone, Whitney decided it would be a splendid idea to superglue the cat to the couch." Everyone laughed, all the parents sympathizing with the young father.

Whitney and Mariah, two identical twin six year olds ran from behind their mother, their jet black hair racing behind them. After several years of being unable to get pregnant on their own, Victoire and Teddy Lupin decided to adopt, lucking out with two beautiful girls.

Teddy was gone seconds later, chasing after his vibrant daughters, threatening their after dinner dessert as he did. Moments later Molly declared supper was ready, and a stampede of men all ages pushed past each other to get their food. Sitting between Albus and Louis, Rose settled herself in, waiting for all the others.

Conversation flowed easily between the huge group, and Rose watched everyone, preferring to stay silent and observe. "Still not giving up on the whole no meat thing huh, Rosie?" Rose looked at her Uncle Charlie who had asked the question, smiling and shaking her head stubbornly. "I thought it was a hoax when Hermione said you wouldn't eat meat as a baby. But here you are all those years later, meat-free and the most committed vegetarian I've ever met! I don't know how you do it," he said amazed, and a mouth filled Ron shouted his agreed opinion from down the table.

The food was delicious, and Molly beamed with every praise she received. After every last crumb of the meal was gone, the table all left, relocating in various rooms. Rose, along with her mother and Aunt Ginny, were the only ones that stayed to help Molly clean up. The young girl hummed quietly as she washed the dishes by hand, staring out through the window into the yard.

Her mother and aunt were wiping down the kitchen, talking quietly together. "How's your training going, Rosie," Ginny asked as she dried some dishes.

"Oh, very well, thank you. Madam Strout is letting me take students completely on my own now. She says by graduation, I'll have cut a year off my training." Rose said excitedly, Hermione beaming proud as she looked to her daughter. Ginny congratulated her, returning to her conversation with her mother. Rose, unknowingly, resumed her humming, observing the dark night. Her eyes looked all around the yard, stopping when she thought she saw a flash of blue light.

Hermione looked up at her daughter, watching her as she leaned forward, squinting out the window. "Sweetie, are you alright," she asked, standing next to her to look out the window herself.

Rose nodded slowly, blinking several times, "I just thought I saw… never mind." Hermione saw the well known fear Rose was trying to hide.

"You're safe here, darling. No one can get in," Hermione said soothingly, and they both knew she was talking about _him_.

* * *

Late that night, everyone was settled down, full from delicious desserts and pleased from good conversation. Whitney and Mariah laid passed out on their grandfather Bill's lap, chocolate still covering their faces. Most of the men were joined in on a massive controversial discussion on Quidditch, shouts erupting every now and then.

Rose sat in a comfy chair in the far corner of the room, hiding from all conversation. She was curled up, her mind far off in the novel she held, a tiny smile in place. Molly, who bounced from room to room, never settling from making sure her family was all happy, noticed the small girl. "Rosie you've been awfully quiet tonight," the older women observed.

A loud scoff was heard, stopping all discussions. "She is incapable of doing anything but shoving her nose up a book," Molly II said just barely loud enough for everyone to hear, quickly sending a nasty glare to her quiet cousin. Percy rebuked his daughter, but she simply rolled her eyes, returning to her conversation with Dominique.

Staring back down at her book, Rose felt her face heat up painfully, as eyes finally looked away. Waiting several moments to be sure no one was paying any attention to her, Rose silently slipped from the room. She sat in the empty kitchen, her book in her shaking hand, the rhythmic sound of the faucet dripping soothing her. Moments later her Uncle Charlie slipped into the room, sitting himself next to the girl without a word.

"Hey," he said when the silence became harsh. He bumped his shoulder with hers, causing her to finally look up at him. "Don't listen to her, she's a bitch." Rose looked at her uncle in outraged, but laughed when she saw his huge silly grin.

Biting her lip to keep herself from smiling, Rose said, "you shouldn't say that, someone could hear."

"Ah, but you don't disagree," Charlie was quick to tease, admiring his niece's ability to stay modest. "I got you something," he said, hushing her when he saw she was about to protest. "I was never able to congratulate you on becoming Head Girl." Pulling a wrapped bag out of his jacket pocket, the tough redhead smiled at Rose.

"You didn't have to," the sweet girl protest, but was thrilled when she opened the package. "Uncle Charlie," Rose exclaimed happily, observing all the different foreign chocolates stuffed into the bag.

"Your favorite, right," he asked, fully knowing the answer. Rose nodded, quickly standing and hugging her uncle, wishing she got to see more of him. The two sat there into the late hours of night; sharing various Romanian chocolates, laughing with each other until they could no longer breath.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello everyone! First off, thank each and every one of you for all the amazing support. If you haven't guessed by now, I have decided to start posting once a day, by popular demand. Now, this being said, there will be days that I am sure I will be unable to post, but I do believe that will hardly ever happen.

In the last chapter we got a look into Rose's family, so it is only fair we take a peek into Scorpius'. You can bet this will not be the last time you see the Malfoy bunch, as they are my absolute favorite family in the entire series, and I am always overjoyed to sneak them into a chapter whenever I can. The pair also meet again for the first time after their fallout… will Scorpius be able to redeem himself…?

* * *

The sharp tapping of hail against his large glass windows broke through the thick silence, giving Scorpius a migraine. There, in the center of his massive bed, in the center of his massive room, he laid on his back with his hands folded over his stomach. His lids were closed, but his eyes moved back and forth furiously behind the darkness. It had been days since the affair, but he couldn't stray for less than a minute without his mind dragging him back to _her_.

He thought of her endlessly; the crestfallen look on her pretty face, the tears that sparkled in her innocent eyes, the shaking of her small hands. He physically ached all over; his body was punishing him for what he did, even though his mind was doing a grand job of it. Scorpius had never felt such regret than in that moment when he saw her heartbreaking face, wishing he had said something only a second sooner. He knew he had ruined everything he had worked so hard for.

With _her_ he felt different. She didn't treat him like everyone else did, like they are frightened of him, like he is evil. She judged him on what she knew, not what she thought, and he felt relieved for the first time in his life. That's why with every moment he knew she was disappointed with him, it was another moment he had wasted.

Rose Weasley was tearing him apart.

A nervous tap was heard at the door, but Scorpius ignored it, picking up his wand and silently locking it. "Young Master," he heard his anxious house elf, Dopee, say. "Young Master, your presence is required in the dining hall." Minutes ticked by and Scorpius laid there, unmoving, and finally the shuffling of feet drifted away from the room.

Ten glorious minutes of silence passed by, but footsteps returned, this time much louder and steady. A firm knock was heard, "Scorpius," his father's deep voice asked out. Scorpius heard a ' _click'_ and his father was suddenly standing before him, an exasperated, yet not angry, look on his pointed face. "Dopee just returned, saying you are 'unresponsive'."

Draco stood at the end of Scorpius' bed, arms crossed over his chest in a stance that would have given his son shivers, a mere five years ago. "I'm not hungry," was all the boy said, eyes still closed, hands still folded. "Have dinner without me, the world won't come to an end, believe it or not."

Staring hard, Draco sighed, cursing the attitude his wife had passed on to their son. "What's got you so bothered, you've been hiding in your room since you arrived home. You're never like this..."

"I've fucked up," Scorpius said simply, and the older blonde raised his eyebrows, not having expected to get an answer. "I seriously fucked up, and I can't do anything to fix it." The young man finally opened his grey eyes, and peered down to see his father's face hard with confusion.

"What do you mean," Draco asked carefully, shocked as Scorpius rarely ever confided in anyone. Looking around the room he noticed various objects shattered on the floor.

Sighing, Scorpius sat up, "it doesn't matter. She'll never forgive me, and I'll never get her back." The tall man made his way into his bathroom, not saying a word to his father as he shuffled by.

Shaking his head, Draco forced himself to not push any further on the subject, knowing it would just end up making Scorpius upset. He walked up to the closed door, and spoke through it, "your grandparents have come all this way, your not going to starve yourself in your room. I want you cleaned and down stairs in three minutes, no less!" Draco used the mean voice he had mastered when Scorpius was a mischievous young boy, knowing it had almost no effect anymore. He heard a groan of sorts from the other side, and knew he would be down.

After scrubbing his face with icy water, making sure his blonde beard was neatly trimmed, and putting on a nice set of dinner robes, Scorpius made his way down to the dining hall slow as he ever had. He waltzed past several portraits, all the old Malfoy men mumbling their protest on not being placed in other various parts of the manor. There was a small elf waiting at the large double doors of the hall, and Scorpius could vaguely hear the disapproving voice of his grandfather on the other side. "Young Master," the house elf said as he bowed and opened the heavy door, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

"Ah, darling," Scorpius' grandmother said, excusing herself from her conversation with his mother, and handing her glass of white wine to a random elf. Narcissa, with her cold beauty that only improved with aged, walked towards her lone grandchild with arms open wide. Scorpius leaned down a bit and hugged the tall, thin frame, allowing her to kiss his cheek gently.

"That looks quite dashing on you," the older women said, motioning to Scorpius' thick beard, with a hidden wink. "How have you been, is school going well?" Narcissa asked gently, grabbing his arm as they made their way across the room to the others. Scorpius nodded, and his grandmother smiled fondly at him, her cold eyes shining happily.

His grandfather stood from the chair he was in, next to the large marble fireplace, walking towards Scorpius. "How are you, boy?" Lucius was one of the few people that reached Scorpius' towering height, and steely silver eyes clashed as they shook hands. Scorpius could feel the iciness that came with his strong touch, the Malfoy ring freezing against his skin.

One of the kitchen elves announced dinner was ready then, shivering when they received Lucius' telltale mean glare. "Thank you," Astoria said with a kind smile to the fear filled servant. The small family took their places at the table; Lucius and Draco at the heads, Narcissa and Astoria on one side, with Scorpius across from them.

The young man bounced his leg impatiently, his mind far off, as he peered at the grand chandelier that hung right above them, watching it sway ever-so slightly. Steaming food appeared on the table on the finest crystal bowls and plates, their glasses being refilled with 1865 Chateau Lafite. "How are your grades," Lucius asked, and Scorpius knew he wasn't simply curious.

Scorpius nodded, tapping a finger on the top of the smooth table top, "good enough." He met his grandfather's eyes, and he could practically feel the impatience rolling off of him in waves.

"And Quidditch," Lucius inquired, raising a blonde brow. His back was straight up in his chair as he sliced his sharp knife into his steaming steak, coolly composed as always.

He knew his parents and grandmother were watching, so he gave a false smirk, showing off his immaculate teeth. "Better than ever. We are more than capable of winning the house cup, yet again. Of course, anyone could with the competition we have."

Lucius nodded, content with Scorpius for the time being, and rejoined his conversation with his son about the ministry. The meal ticked on quietly, his mother and grandmother gossiping about other various pureblood women.

Draco grabbed his son's attention as their plates were being cleared away. "Scorpius," the older man paused, waiting until his son looked to him. "I met with Blaise Zabini some days ago, and he old me you went to see Bentley at the restaurant." Scorpius nodded, and he could feel everyone's eyes on him. "He said you took a lovely young lady to dinner… Blaise also mentioned that he didn't recognize her."

His father didn't push any farther, but it was clear he wanted an explanation. There was a long moment of silence, and the hard rain could be heard perfectly through the windows. Scorpius sat, thinking over his response carefully, finally saying, "I did."

"Really," Astoria asked excitedly, smiling at her only child. "Who is she?" The woman held her wine glass in her attractive, manicured hand, bringing it up to her mouth to sip daintily.

Scorpius sighed, "no one any of you need to worry about." The entire table became tense, and Scorpius bounced his leg faster, until he shook from the force.

"Have you talked to Melody Caldwell recently," his grandfather asked minutes after the dessert had been served, grabbing Narcissa's attention.

"No," Scorpius' deep voice rang out. "And I certainly don't plan on changing that anytime soon." Melody was a seventh-year Slytherin, whom Lucius believed Scorpius was 'required' to marry after graduation. The only reason an arranged marriage wasn't pulled up was because Draco stepped in and refused anything of the sort. Melody was pretty enough, from a good family, and smart too, but she was the blandest girl Scorpius ever had the displeasure of speaking too. He knew if he was forced to spend the rest of his life with her he would end up jumping out one of the manor windows due to boredom.

"She's a nice girl-" Lucius said coldly, his voice raising with authority.

"I am more than capable of finding my own possible wife, thank you." Scorpius cut in, standing from his chair. "This has been swell, but I do believe it is time to take my leave." He walked over to his grandmother, helping her stand and giving her hug. "See you at Christmas," he said kindly, kissing her hand.

His shoes were the only noise made as he left the hall, stopping just before the door to say his goodnight.

* * *

That night, Scorpius laid awake in his bed until the early rays of morning light shone through the windows. He felt trapped, he knew he need to do something, _anything_. He couldn't lose her.

His brain was a wreck, and he tossed and turned in his bed, until suddenly he flipped over to come eye level with his bed stand. There, laying innocently was her book, the book he had read now five times over. And then he knew, he knew what he had to do.

Jumping out of his bed, not noticing that it was only five o'clock in the morning, he grabbed his jacket and hurried his way out of the manor. He only stopped once to tell an elf to let his parents know he would be back soon, rushing out the front doors, past the iron gates to the apparition point.

Scorpius had a huge grin on his face as he pulled his wand out of his pocket, knowing he wouldn't lose his Rose.

* * *

His pale forehead laid against the icy window, his head vibrating from the trains speed, his face turning red from the temperature. Scorpius' head pounded from the loud squeals of laughter coming from outside the compartment, and he closed his eyes in frustration. "They were really nice though; not too firm, not too droopy." The blonde heard Luciano brag on for the tenth time that evening.

"Dear Merlin, help me. If I hear one more detail about Zoee's breasts, I'll poke your eyes out so you can never see them again. And frankly, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to go around telling your mates about the fucking texture of her tits." Scorpius snapped, and he could see Quinn visibly relax from his spot next to Luciano.

He knew he had upset the Italian by the way his face contorted. "You don't have to be such a bloody ass to the rest of us just because you haven't had a good shag in a couple of months." Scorpius said nothing as he grabbed his jacket and stood, leaving the compartment for air.

"Scorpius-" he heard Quinn holler just before the door slid shut, as he made his way down the near empty corridor, searching for any vacant space. It took him awhile, but he found a room, and sat in a seat, propping his feet up opposite him, just as the train signaled the twenty minute mark.

Folding his arms behind his head, Scorpius reclined comfortably, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of wind whip past the train. As he laid there he felt a odd sense of nervousness creep upon him, the small object in his jacket pocket burning him. The rest of the journey blinked past, and by the time the grey eyes reopened, Hogwarts was glowing peacefully in the distance.

* * *

Scorpius held back a sigh, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground, waiting for the useless conversation to come to an end. He had been sucked into an incredibly lengthy chat with the Slytherin Head of House, Otto Blackband, professor of DADA. Don't get him wrong, he liked the guy, admired him even, Scorpius had just been on his way before he was stopped, so long ago. "Anyways, I'm sure an admirable man like yourself has somewhere to be on a Saturday evening. Good talking to you, Malfoy."

The young Slytherin said his goodbye, thankful as he finally escaped the older man's grasp. Only a handful of students were in the corridor, most of them relaxing after a day of travelling. As Scorpius made his way with his feet leading him by memory, his brain began to go into overdrive, worrying him over all possibilities. And for the umpteenth time that week, Scorpius realized just how much that tiny witch could do to him.

He walked down the long corridor, coming to face the two old men in the portrait at the end. "Ah, Gilbert, look! The dark knight is back. How have you been, boy, come to retrieve your fair lady?" Scorpius ignored the blathering old men, knocking hard on the door.

It only took a few seconds but a frazzle looking Rose suddenly appeared in front of him, as if expecting a visitor. Scorpius felt ill when he finally saw her, she look remarkably beautiful, causing the man to forget his proper intentions. "Albus, I already told you, I don't know where-" the small girl finally looked up, seeing that her visitor was in fact, not her cousin. "Oh," was all she said, her heart clenching as she took in all of the glorious man. "Scorpius," she whispered, as if not believing he was there.

"Rose, I need to-" he paused for a minute, rethinking his demanding words. "Could I talk to you," his beauty bit her lip, and he knew she was fighting herself. Finally, she nodded, stepping aside to let him in. The common room was unoccupied, and without the fire going, the large room seemed so empty and cold. Turning back to her, Scorpius began the speech he spent hours perfecting. "First, I need you to know, I will-"

The tall Slytherin almost groaned aloud when someone called out his company's name, interrupting him yet again. "Rose," Dawson appeared from the his staircase, his eyes immediately drawn to his cousin, standing in the middle of the room with the Head Girl. "Scorpius," the dark haired boy said slowly, his eyes matching the Malfoy's normal danger.

Rose watched as the two boys stared each other down from across the room, and she could practically feel the thick tension. "Did you need something, Dawson," Rose asked sweetly, finally grabbing his attention.

The Head Boy shook his head slowly, his eyes returning to Scorpius. "It can wait," was all he said, but made no move to leave. Rose had never seen him so tense, and it was frightening her.

"Alright," she said, turning back to the handsome blonde. "We can go to my room," Rose said, hardly stopping herself from reaching out and grabbing his large, warm hand. Nodding silently, Scorpius gave Dawson one last look, then turned to follow Rose. She led him up the short staircase, and walked into her open room, closing the door after he followed inside.

The reality of where he was hit Scorpius like a ton of bricks. Looking around the room he noticed it was much larger than the dorms provided for students, her walls painted a light blue, with several windows on each wall. On one side of the room was a couch facing a fire, on the other side was a spacious study area, and pushed against the wall across from the door was a deliciously comfortable looking bed. The large bed was covered in plush white sheets, begging Scorpius to grab Rose and snuggle deep into them.

The room smelt glorious, heavily. It smelt floral and sugary sweet, just like Rose, and Scorpius knew he wanted to spend all his days in there. "Come," she said quietly, and Scorpius' heart leapt when he saw her hand twitch out to reach to him. She led him to the couch, and sat down on one side, her back against an arm as she curled up to face him. Scorpius sat and could feel the comforting heat coming from the bright fire, making the water in the glass that sat on the coffee table glitter.

Scorpius could see she was hiding, that she was stopping herself from acting normal. He knew he had hurt her, he saw it in her eyes, and he knew he had to fix it. "Rose," he saw her move her eyes anywhere but to look at his, her hands twisting together. "I'm not ashamed of you; I never have been, and I sure as hell never will be." This got her attention, she looked up, and he could see the small sparkle in _his_ Rose's eyes. "You're the most magnificent and marvelous person I have ever had the uppermost pleasure of meeting. And I need you to know, every moment I spend with you is all I could ever ask for."

He watched as he smallest of smiles crept on her face, and he had to stop himself from grinning too. "And I would be honored if you would allow me the immense pleasure of getting to go to know you, Rose Weasley." The goddess across from him smiled fully, her captivating features lighting up.

Though suddenly, reality caught up with her, and she bit her lip painfully hard. "But, I'm a halfblood." Rose said it so hushed he barely heard her, and he knew immediately he had made her feel ashamed of herself. "And you-"

"Fuck what I did, Rose, shoot it down to the depths of Hell." Scorpius said with passion he had never felt before, as he leaned forward, trying to get closer to her. "I am telling you here and now, that I could care less about what you are. _Who_ you are is beyond perfect." He scooted so he was next to her, as he caught her pretty blue eyes. "I did what I did in the dungeons because I knew how they would react, how they would treat you if they knew. But I don't care anymore, I just know I can't go one more day knowing you're upset with me. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh, Scorpius," Rose murmured out, and Scorpius suddenly found her in his arms, hugging him like she never had. She pulled back, her legs draped over his, as she reached out to hold one of his hands. "I hated that past week, I never want that to happen again."

"And it won't," Scorpius was quick to promise, pleased when Rose smiled huge at him. "I've got you something," he said, reaching into his jacket pocket, seeing Rose's eyes light up.

When he handed her his gift, Rose squealed in excitement, jumping off the couch, examining the object gleefully. "Scorpius, this is- how did you get this?" She rushed out, sitting back down next to him, their thighs brushes together, as her blue eyes gazed with amazement at him.

In her small hands, Rose held a signed, limited edition copy of her favorite novel, ' _Catcher In the Rye'._ "How did you do this, J.D. Salinger passed away over ten years ago." She lightly traced her fingertips over his signature on the front cover, her mouth open, eyes blinking fast.

"I have my ways," Scorpius said slyly, winking at the delighted girl, never having been more pleased with himself. If he was going to be honest that book had cost him an arm and a leg, not to mention hours of tracing and tracking down. But he knew it was more than worth it.

Leaning forward again, Rose half sat in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him. She breathed in his mesmerizing scent, enjoying the warmth his body gave her. "Thank you," she whispered into his neck, pulling back to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

Scorpius hugged his Rose, pressing her soft body into her, leaning in to inhale her beautiful scent. And as he held her tight, he couldn't stop himself from praying that he could stay that way forever with her.


	12. Chapter 12

This chapter isn't the longest, but something very interesting happens. Please leave any ideas in the reviews, I love reading your feedback… enjoy!

* * *

"Have I made the instructions perfectly clear?" The class mumbled unenthusiastically as a whole. "Good. Alright this side of the class here, go and get all of your ingredients first, and when they are done, the other side may go. And no shoving, Mister Belby!" Professor Melinda Bobbin rolled her eyes as several older boys pushed at each other to get to the cabinet first.

Scorpius looked up from his table with Quinn, watching as Rose patiently waited for everyone else. to go first. He didn't get up until she was at the back of the class alone, fetching her ingredients, telling Quinn he would grab his for him. The tall boy stood behind her and she carefully picked her supplies, making sure his presence was unknown. Rose jumped and gasped when a warm hand reached out and grabbed her cold one, as she felt a body's warmth inches away from her. "It's me," Scorpius leaned forward and whispered huskily in her ear.

A beautiful smirk formed on his lips as he watched her small body visibly relax, ever so slightly leaning back into him. "Oh," was all she said, trusting his voice and not bothering to look back and check it was him.

"Meet me tonight at seven?" His breath blew across her face, making her shiver and squeeze her hand around the bottle she was holding. Scorpius watched over her shoulder as she bit her lip, smiling, and nodded shyly. Rose was secretly thrilled, it was the first time he had asked to spend the night with her since he apologized days ago. "Good," he said as he trailed his fingers up her arm to her elbow, before stepping away and losing all contact together.

Rose bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling like an idiot as she made her way back to her seat next to Elliot. But he noticed. "Now, is Advanced Potions really _that_ much fun," he joked to the girl who was considered ' _The Brightest Witch Since Rowena Ravenclaw Herself'._

The rest of the class Rose could hardly concentrate on any of her work, and was horrified when she realized she had almost ruined her entire potion. She continued to recall the feel of his breath on her neck, unbeknownst to Scorpius watching her every move.

* * *

Rose forced herself not to become agitated as she listened to her brother's twenty minute story about how he 'destroyed' another fifth-year Slytherin in a duel during DADA class that day. "And then, he fell to the floor, all whining and shit. And the whole class started cheering me one, it was sick. You should have seen it, Ro." Hugo said as he lounged on his sister's couch, eating all the chocolate their grandparents had sent her.

Normally, Rose would be appalled that someone was eating all of her beloved sweets, but she was more than eager to get to Scorpius that night. Her eyes drifted to the clock on the wall, seeing it was ten minutes to seven. "That's great, Hugh, I'm sure dad and mum would be so proud." She said enthusiastically, a bright smile on her face. "Um, not that I'm not thrilled you stopped by, but I actually have somewhere I need to be in a quick minute."

Taking the hint, Hugo stood, shoving as much chocolate into his mouth as he could, brushing crumbs off his lap. "Say no more," the lanky auburn hair boy muttered out with his mouth completely full. "See ya later," he said casually, letting his long legs lead him out with the wave of his hand.

Rose sighed when he was finally gone, rushing into the bathroom before she left. Five minutes later, after speeding through the corridors, the Ravenclaw was in their room, staring out one of the huge windows into the night. Scorpius silently entered a few minutes later and found Rose in the same spot, with her back facing the door, not having heard him arrive.

The brunette was humming quaintly to herself, a song that had been stuck in her head for days, twirling a silky strand with her slim fingers. Scorpius smirked, easily recognizing the tune. He silently snuck over to the sleek black piano, sitting himself on the bench. Rose gasped loud when she heard her humming come to life, hearing the pretty notes fill the air.

Whipping around she found the handsome Slytherin at the piano, effortlessly playing the delicate instrument. Walking over to him, Rose couldn't help but smile, letting the music fill her. Scorpius grinned when she sat on the other side of the bench, her eyes transfixed by his long, pale fingers. Rose was amazed at how easily he seemed to be playing, his hands a blur from their speed, stroking each key passionately. She quickly became addicted to the vibrations of the music, every sound better than the last.

The song ended with one long, sweet key and Rose sighed contently. "Scorpius, " she whispered, looking up at him, "that was beautiful."

"As are you," he kept his voice dangerously low, his eyes locking with hers. Rose's side was brushing against his with every breath she took, and she could feel the warmth he always radiated. She had never been that close to anyone, she realized as she observed every tiny aspect of his face.

Scorpius could smell delectable chocolate on her breath with each puff of air she blew on his face, driving him bad. Reaching out, he used his large hand to gently cup her cheek, smiling when she leaned into it. Rose's heart began to pound in her chest, and her hands shook as they held each other in her lap. Scorpius slowly, painfully slowly, leaned forward, only stopping when their noses touched.

He looked deep into her large blue orbs, his thumbs stroking her cheek softly. "Can I kiss you," his low voice made the burning in Rose's pit to return, causing a foreign sensation to erupt inside of her.

"Yes," Rose had barely whispered when Scorpius' lips were suddenly on hers. Scorpius had to stop himself from fully indulging himself, knowing he had to take it slow with her. Her lips were heavenly smooth, and her scent encased him fully. Rose internally gasped at the feeling of his hard, yet soft lips on hers. She could taste the spiciness of his scent on him, causing her head to spin. Rose had never experienced anything so incredibly strange, her body ached for his touch.

When Scorpius finally pulled away, Rose's eyes were glazed over, and there was a delicate pink lighting her cheeks. She smiled timidly at him, and he caressed his thumb over her full pouting lips. Neither of them said anything, letting the sensation of the kiss wash over them, feeling each other's breaths brush the others face.

The couple didn't speak any other words the remainder of the night, enjoying each other's presence more than ever. Scorpius couldn't help but feel like the man with the jackpot who flew over the moon. And Rose could feel the burning of his lips on hers, even as the evening faded into night. They snuck secret glances at each other, laughing when they caught their eyes.

When the night eventually became too heavy they both sighed, knowing they would have to depart. Scorpius stood from his spot next to Rose on the cozy couch, grabbing her hand and helping her up. He pulled her so she was flush against his chest, her hands going to his upper arms. "Goodnight," he said softly, leaning down and kissing the very corner of her lips.

* * *

"My boy is back!" Luciano shouted enthusiastically into the hall, making several younger years jump at his booming voice. Slinging his arm around the tall blonde, Luciano smiled at all the students daring enough to look at him. The trio of Slytherin boys were making their way to DADA, both Luciano and Quinn more than thrilled that Scorpius seemed back to normal.

It was the day after Scorpius had his astounding kiss with his little witch, and he felt invincible. He had kissed many girls, and slept with a few of them, but the small kiss he shared with Rose made him forget all of the others. Both boys noticed how peculiarly happy Malfoy had been that morning, and had asked no questions. "Settle down," Scorpius warned his exuberant friend, hiding a smirk.

Luciano just winked, "ah fuck you, Malfoy." The boys all made their way into the class, seeing most of the students already there. The desks were missing, and Scorpius immediately knew they would be practicing that day. He instantly began to worry, not for himself; he was a spectacular dueler, but for his little Rose.

It was a well known fact Rose Weasley was one of the poorest dueler of their year, her parents' phenomenal skills skipping her and going straight to Hugo. Albus Potter seemed to have similar anxiety, he looked like he was trying to block her petite body from everyone in the class, his normally cheery person set on edge.

"Alright," Professor Blackband's authoritative voice shouted over all the conversations, the class silent in seconds. "As you undoubtedly noticed, we are doing our weekly dueling session today. Now, this afternoon we will be completely silent! Only nonverbals will be accepted." Looking around Otto Blackband smiled at all the annoyed faces of his students. "Very well, let's not waste anymore time. I want only females with females, and males with males. Houses _must_ be mixed!"

Scorpius watched as Albus immediately grabbed Rose's arm, pulling her tight to his side, his eyes threatening anyone who looked at her. "Potter," Blackband yelled when he saw the pair, "you won't improve with her. And I said only males! I want you with," the man paused, looking around the room. Scorpius' eyes threatened his professor when he saw him peer at himself. Blackband only smiled back, "Mister Malfoy."

Quinn chuckled when he heard that, and received a hard punch to his back when his blonde mate passed him. Albus reluctantly left Rose, moping as he made his way to the opposite side of the room with his enemy. "And Miss Weasley," Blackband spoke to his kind natured student in a softer tone. "You can work with Miss Barber," Rose nodded, although wanted to protest as the thick girl made her way over to her.

Alania Barber was one of the few, maybe the only, people who had ever disliked Rose Weasley. The Hufflepuff had always been extraordinarily cold towards the delicate Ravenclaw, no matter how friendly Rose was. Alania smiled evilly at the slightly cowering girl, her greasy black hair falling into her face. "Ready, Weasley," the girls nasally voice asked teasingly, drawing her wand.

The room was quiet aside from the shuffling of feet, and occasional grunt of frustration. Scorpius kept his wand trained on Albus, silently shooting spell after spell at him. The Slytherin was easily the best dueler in the class, and he hardly needed to think as he continued his attack. He had to admit, Potter was putting up a good fight, as most students would be down after a couple of moments. Their duel was strong, some of their classmates stopping to watch the incredible fight.

Scorpius peered his eyes over at Rose, as he had been doing every couple of seconds, checking on her. He knew Barber wasn't a notable dueler, but it didn't take much to attack Rose. His eyes returned to Albus as he quickly shot up a shield to block his ' _Avifors'_. Both boys instantly dropped their spells when they heard a familiar voice yelp, turning just in time to see Rose's body slam hard against a wall. The delicate form crumbled to the stone floor, her body instinctively twisting into the fetal position as pain throbbed through her.

"Wand down, Barber," Blackband yelled when he saw Alania raise her wand at Rose, yet again. The professor rushed over to the small girl, Albus kneeling beside him seconds later. Both men helped Rose up, and Scorpius sighed when she smiled meekly and said quietly how she was alright. Her over protective cousin wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her sit on a bench pressed against a wall.

Professor Blackband sat next to the shaken girl, "that you may be, Miss Weasley. But I would prefer for you to sit the rest of this class out." Rose nodded, feeling uncomfortable with the entire classes eyes on her, and Blackband noticed. "Back to work all of you!" Looking to Albus, who hadn't moved, he said, "that includes you, Mister Potter."

The Gryffindor stood up, looking thoroughly appalled, "you're not even going to punish her?" And for the first time in forever, Scorpius silently agreed with Albus Potter. Alania just smiled, and Scorpius' eyes darkened as he watched another Hufflepuff, Samuel Walter high five her.

Scorpius felt rage fill him as he watched the scene, his wand shooting out dangerous sparks. The class had now returned to their duels, and before Potter had reach him, Scorpius silently shot a spell at Walter. The force of Scorpius' ' _Sectumsempra'_ hit Samuel like a strike of lightning. The Slytherin hadn't realized what he had done until it was too late, but even then he felt no guilt, as he could only feel his anger.

Samuel Walter dropped to the floor, choking and coughing up the blood that had already began to block his airway. Deep slashes cut through the boy's torso, blood seeping all over the floor. Several screams pierced the silent air, grabbing the professor's attention. "Dear mother of Merlin," Otto Blackband shouted as his student started shuddering and convulsing.

There was a sick splashing noise when the man knelt next to the boy, in a pool of his blood. The class crowded around, and Blackband had his wand out in seconds, murmuring, " _vulnera sanentur_." When the wounds on Walter started closing slowly, Blackband called out, "Miss Weasley."

The small girl shoved her way through the crowd, a determined look on her charming face. The class watched in awe as Rose waved her hands over the boy, too quiet for anyone to hear. It looked as if she was bringing him back to life; blood ran back into his body, color returned to his cheeks, his breathing regulating.

Scorpius watched on with unkind eyes, knowing Walter didn't deserve to be healed, especially not by Rose. He wanted Samuel to suffer, more than he had.

"Class dismissed, go to your Houses until your next period," Professor Blackband rushed out, levitating the boy and dashing out of the room. Scorpius wanted to yell out when he saw Rose follow him, hot on his heels, but knew she was too kind not to go.

The class emptied out quickly, with the rumor of Samuel Walter quickly making it's way around the school. Luciano went on with Zoee, leaving Scorpius with Quinn. The pair made their way back to the dungeons, and when some time passed, Quinn finally spoke up. Making sure they were alone, he said, "I know it was you."

"What are you talking about," Scorpius spat at him, his heart rate speeding up dangerously. He kept his perfect emotionless mask, though.

Quinn scoffed, "don't play dumb, Scorpius. You were the one that cursed Walter. And don't try to deny it," he was quick to say when the blonde went to protest. "You are the only one I have ever known who can successfully cast _Sectumsempra._ Never mind you're the only one fearless enough to do it." Scorpius stayed silent, and Quinn knew this was his confession. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, but I know you did it for _her_."

Scorpius' chest twisted painfully, he was sure Rose didn't want anyone to know about them yet. And he wasn't sure he knew how to describe their current relationship, as he didn't even know what it was himself. "I'm not sure I know who you are talking about," he said slowly and daringly.

His shorter friend rolled his mismatched eyes, scoffing, something very unlike him. "I'm sure you don't, Malfoy." The brunette smirked deviously at his best mate, walking away as they entered the common room.


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys, hope your doing well, sorry this post is a bit later in the day than usual. This chapter is much darker than my normal writing, but all for a good reason, you find out who the ' _he'_ is that has showed up a few times… enjoy!

* * *

The relentless tapping and screeching of an owl was what startled the girl from her deep slumber. Gasping, she sat up in bed, grabbing her heart and looking at every corner of the dark room. Reading her illuminated clock, she saw it was three in the morning. "What in the Heavens," Rose whispered to herself, finally spotting the persistent bird at her window. The unsure girl slowly got out from beneath her cozy blankets, her bare feet hitting the cold stone floor. Rose's steps were slow, and extremely cautious as she made her way towards the strange bird.

Reaching for the lock on the window, she jumped when the owl let out a notably loud yelp. Rose unlock the hatch, and the windows slammed open with the force of the wind. The owl, an old and battered looking fellow, hovered in the air, disappearing the second Rose's hand held his delivery. She stood there for some time, watching the bird fly away with surprising speed.

After locking the window, Rose silently lit a candle on her bedside table, perching herself on the edge of her bed. With shaking hands she looked over the large blank envelope, and her stomach twisted when she ripped open the seal. Something inside her felt… _wrong._ Inside was a piece of parchment, and something lumpy. Pulling out the odd item, she was confronted with a rose, but not any. It was black, the petals and stem dark as night with dangerously sharp thorns covering it. Looking into the very center of the flower, Rose noticed a shine, and her heart stopped for a moment when she dipped her finger in and it came out coaxed in blood.

Holding back a scream Rose dropped the evil flower, her entire body shaking as she read the letter. ' _To my dearest rose, I will see you soon.'_ It was him. The note was vague, and unmarked, but she immediately knew who it was. With a calmness she didn't know she had, Rose stood and collected the note and flower. She silently and wandlessly lit a fire, kneeling before it she tossed the items in and waited until they turned to ashes.

And though she ached to run and cry to the first person she could find, Rose stayed silent, knowing what a mess it would cause if she told anyone. Walking over to her dresser she pulled out the large grey sweater Scorpius had given her a time ago, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled his strong, spicy scent. The scared girl laid in her bed until sun came around, not catching a wink of sleep. Her heart never slowed from its erratic beat, and her mind never strayed from her fear for more than a second.

* * *

The bell rang loud, and the students of the class all packed up, quickly making their way out, chattering on. But one remained. Rose sat there, her eyes blankly staring a hole onto her unmarked piece of parchment. The Transfiguration professor, Margaret Squibbert, made her way towards her most promising student. Concern shined in her dark eyes as she reached a hand out to the unmoving girl, kindly asking, "Rose."

The Ravenclaw awoke from her state with a gasp, jumping. The older woman watched as the girl seemed to be drenched by an invisible bucket of cold water, being slapped awake. Looking around she flushed to notice the class emptied. "Oh, um sorry. I suppose I hadn't heard the bell. I'm sorry, Professor Squibbert, I'll be out of your way." Rose hurried, carelessly shoving her books into her bag.

"No, no, no. My dear, stay as long as you wish," the women said kindly, smiling at the sweet girl. "I'm sorry if I am intruding, but I must ask. Are you alright, Rose? Is everything okay?" Rose could see the trouble in her mentor's eyes, and felt guilt immediately weigh down on her.

The short girl nodded, biting her lip as she smiled. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. I just got poor sleep last night, is all. Thank you for your concern though." The professor smiled and dismissed her after a moment of staring, wishing her a good supper.

Rose rushed to the Great Hall, knowing her cousin was waiting for her. Walking into the grand room, she easily spotted the mess of black hair at the Ravenclaw table. She approached Albus breathlessly, sitting next to him as he finished his friendly conversation with Robert and Elliot. "Hey, Rosie," Albus greeted cheerfully, kissing the top of her head quickly. "Where've you been, Frank said you stayed behind in Transfiguration."

Finally regaining her breathing, Rose nodded. "Um yeah, I had to ask Professor Squibbert a few questions." Another horrid lie, the witch scolded herself.

Robert shook his head, laughing, "always the little bookworm. You know, you make me look like quite the shit Ravenclaw with all your questions and perfect marks. I haven't a clue how I'm suppose to compete with you."

Albus laughed loudly, "ha, I stopped trying to compete with her long ago, it's impossible. Even my parents prefer her to me."

Rose blushed, nudging Albus with her elbow, "that's not true, Al."

The mischievous boy just gave her his famous smile and winked. "Sure it's not. Now, eat up, I worked hard making a plate for you." Albus slid over a large plate, overflowing with a mountain of food. Rose just stared at it, pleased he remembered to not grab any meat.

"How on Earth do you expect me to eat all that," the petite girl asked, her eyebrows raised.

Elliot piped in across from her, lounged in his wheelchair. "Oh come on, Rosie. That's hardly anything, you just eat like a mouse." Robert and Albus laughed, and she frowned, pulling her thin arms around herself.

Rose pouted, and Albus nudged her back. "Oh, you know we're just joking, Rosie doll." And though she knew they were, she couldn't help but feel the way she always did; too small. Albus, Robert, and Elliot all rejoined in a conversation about Quidditch midway through dinner, and Rose's eyes wandered the hall as she silently picked around her dinner.

The beauteous girl couldn't stop a bright smile when she caught Scorpius' handsome grey eyes, the first _real_ grin she had wore the entire day. He smirked back at her, and nodded towards the doors. Rose bit her bottom lip and nodded, understanding his sly indication. Dinner ended with sweet pudding, Rose eating all of hers, and most of Albus'. "You and your sweets," he laughed.

As the pair made their way out of the hall, Albus put his arm around her shoulders. "Wanna come back to the tower with me, everyone misses you. Not that I'm very surprised."

Rose leaned into him, slinging an arm around his waist. "Maybe tomorrow, I have somewhere I need to be tonight."

Stopping, Albus pulled them to the side of the corridor so students could pass. Rose squirmed as his green eyes inspected her, and she knew he thought something was up. "You know, you've been doing that an awful lot lately; disappearing. I hardly see you anymore, Rosie."

Sighing she stepped forward to hug his middle, talking into his chest. "I know, and I'm sorry. It's just a hard time right now. With my test coming up and all." Rose bit her tongue as she lied, hoping he wouldn't see through her like he always did.

"Alright, but I better see you in the common room sometime this week." He pulled back, and kissed her forehead, saying his goodbye.

Rose frowned as she made her way through the deserted halls, the chill of the wind wrapping around her. Her eyes were wide and attentive, watching everything around her. Her pace got faster and faster until she was nearly running, her heart racing. She got to the portrait and unlocked it, sliding in and shutting the door behind her.

"Rose," Scorpius' deep voice asked when he saw the disheveled girl. "Rose, are you alright?" He got up from the couch, walking to her, putting both his hands on her shoulders.

The little witch nodded, her cheeks flushed. "Of course," she grabbed his hand, purely out of habit, and led them to the couch, pulling out her textbooks. Scorpius asked no more questions, though he could clearly see something was wrong. The two settled down quickly, and it took little time for Scorpius to notice Rose's strange behavior. She stared aimlessly into the fire, her hands twitching with each other. He left her be for some time, but after awhile he couldn't take it.

"Rose, what's wrong. And don't tell me nothing, I can see straight through that." Scorpius was firm, he knew he needed to be. He watched his beauty bite her lip hard, drawing blood, and he reached out, cautiously as not to scare her. He brought his hand out to her face, and gently used his thumb to pull her lip free from her teeth, her eyes finally meeting his. "You can tell me."

She shook her head, worry filling her big blue orbs. "No," she said quietly, "I can't." Scorpius grabbed one of her fiddling hands between his and squeezed it tight.

"You can trust me, Rose. You can tell me." Scorpius' voice was soothing, and it calmed Rose. She unconsciously scooted closer to him, so they were next to each other, her hand now clasped between his.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to tell anyone," she breathed, and Scorpius nodded right away. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, though the Slytherin could still feel her emotions clearly. "Something happened when I was younger, something awful. Something only my family knows about, and not even all of them." She reopened her eyes and they were glossed over, but Scorpius only nodded, encouraging her. "When I was young, before I started muggle primary school, my mother use to take me and my brother to a park not far from our house. We went almost everyday, and we would play with all the other children. One day, when I was three, my mother took us, and I wandered off."

Scorpius stayed silent, locking his eyes with Rose, rubbing his thumb back and forth on her hand. "I wasn't thinking, and I hadn't gone far, but a man approached me. My mother found me, just as the man got to me, and nothing happened." Taking an unsteady deep breath, she continued. "A similar event occurred when I was six. My mother took us to the same park, and I ran off to play as soon as we arrived. The same man found me again, this time I was alone by a tree, and he asked what my name was. After I told him he walked away, repeating my name over again, aloud. That was all. And nothing happened for several years, until I was nine. This time my father and Uncle Harry had taken me and my cousins to the park, I remember it was a hot summer day, and the park was filled with happy children. I guess that's why I didn't notice him until it was too late."

A fat crocodile tear rolled its way down Rose's cheek, and he knew she was baring a deep part of herself to him. "It's okay," he whispered to her, brushing the tear away.

Rose shook her head silently, appreciating the warmth of his touch, yet she continued on. "He grabbed me when I was in a crowd of children, blocking my mouth so I couldn't scream. I kicked, and yelled but no one noticed. He dragged me away, hiding behind a tree, so he could apparate us away. I never knew true fear until that moment. I really thought I was going to die. He took me to an old, abandoned house and tied me to a chair in the center of a dusty room. I cried endlessly for my mum and dad, and prayed for it all to be over. He whispered such awful things to me, things no little girl deserves to hear. He told me what he was going to do to me, and he kept muttering my name, just repeating it. I remember every detail from that day, he had hundreds and hundreds of flower petals spread out all over the floor. The image of his face will burn in my memory forever.

"Luckily my father and Uncle Harry, along with the Aurors showed up right then. They were able to track the man's magic to the house. He got away though, promising he would be back before he disappeared. They haven't found him since. He has sent me letters through the years, but I never dare show anyone, I know my family would go crazy. The incident has made my father mad over protecting me. Last night, I got a letter from him. And, Scorpius I just get so scared sometimes." Her sweet voice broke, and tears flowed down her face. Scorpius leaned forward, grabbing her and pulled her into his lap to embrace her. She laid her head in the crook of his neck, her arms wrapped around the one thing that felt safe.

Her words were muffled as she whispered into his neck, inhaling his drug like scent. "I know he is coming for me, he promised he would. And I know this will sound crazy, but sometime I can just _feel_ him around me. I'm just so frightened." She ended pathetically, and Scorpius gave her a moment to let everything out, as he processed what she said.

Scorpius held her for a long time, and Rose felt her fears wash away. She knew he would protect her. After awhile he pulled back, leaving her in his lap as his large hand scooped her soft cheek. "Can I tell you a confession of my own?" He asked, and Rose nodded, lost in his silver eyes. "When I was younger I was terribly afraid of lightning storms. I would hide and make myself sick every time one rolled around. And one day, during a particularly horrible storm, my mother sat with me and she told me something that ended my fear all together. She told me there is no use being afraid of something if someone who cares for you is around. She told me if someone loves you, they will never allow for anything bad to happen to you, they will go to all ends to protect us."

Rose smiled, leaning into the palm of his hand. "I will protect you Rose, because I care for you. I will never allow that man to ever come near you again, and I need you to trust me. Do you trust me?" Rose nodded, truly trusting him with every fiber in her body. "Good," he whispered to her as she leaned back into his embrace. As she laid her head down on his chest, she could hear the strong beating of his heart, and she knew she would be safe.


	14. Chapter 14

Hello! I just wanted to thank you all yet again for all the views and positive feedback, each and every comment makes my day and makes me think posting is worthwhile! Anyways, this chapter is quite happy and uplifting after last chapter. This one is short but sweet, and the next chapter is a long one. I hope you all love it!

* * *

Scorpius stood in front of the large mirror, looking over his appearance, yet again. He ran a hand through his silky white blonde locks, giving it a perfectly tousled look. Pulling on his black jumper, the wizard made his way out of the bathroom. "Goddamn, I thought you would never leave," Quinn said in his cynical way. The realist sat on his bed reading as he easily ignored Luciano's whining.

The Italian rolled all over his bed, begging his mates to help him get up to some kind of mischief. "You have fun with him, Quinn." Scorpius said in a mocking tone, stowing his wand in his trouser pocket.

Sitting up, Luciano asked, "where you going?" His thick black hair was all messed and his shirted rumpled. The blonde couldn't help but feel like his mate was a child.

"To see Rose," Scorpius answered immediately, not realizing what he was saying. The tall man stopped mid step when his words were processed, and the room fell deathly silent. Scorpius screwed his eyes shut, tilting his head to the side, just waiting for the blow up.

"What," Luciano screamed, and Scorpius turned to see Quinn smirking menacingly, his eyes glued to his book. "Wait, wait, wait. You're going to see _Rose_. Rose who?" Luciano was now standing, Quinn's eyes silently watching the scene.

"Rose _Weasley,_ " Quinn said, and Scorpius shot him a glare. "And no he didn't tell me," he added when he noticed Luciano looking extremely offended. "I just have eyes, and use them."

Luciano let out a loud laugh, "you're joking right?" Scorpius simply stared at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh shit, you're serious. Hold up, is this the bimbo you've been running off every damn day to see." The Italian realized his mistake when he saw the evil look in Malfoy's eyes.

Scorpius had his wand out in seconds, and Luciano was slammed against the closest wall, pinned down. The irate man stalked over to his victim, seething with anger, only inches away from his face. "She is not a bimbo. And _ne_ _ver_ saying anything about her again, you don't know her. Understand?" Luciano simply nodded, never having been on the receiving end of the dangerous wizard's wand.

Scorpius cleared his throat and lowered the spell, realizing his head had gotten away from him. The wizard had felt on edge and tense ever since Rose had told him about her horrid past; but he kept all his anger pent up, he didn't want to make Rose more uncomfortable about the situation. He mumbled his apology as his friend eyed him, "you really like her, then." Scorpius nodded, adjusting the collar of his jumper. "I want to meet her." Luciano demanded, and Quinn piped in his agreement.

"No, not yet." Scorpius said firmly. "I'm not even sure what we are, if we're a dating or not. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't want everyone knowing." His wand was now away again, and Luciano breathed out a sigh of relief.

Quinn finally put his book down, standing from his bed. "It doesn't matter, you can still introduce her." The blonde rubbed his temple, feeling a migraine.

"Tell you what," his deep voice rumbled. "If you two promise to keep your mouths shut about this, I will ask her if she wants to meet you. But if she doesn't, you two will fuck off and not bother me again. Alright?" The boys nodded, and Scorpius sighed. "Good, now I'll be on my way."

The second the door was closed he could hear Luciano ask, "damn, a _Weasley_?" Scorpius chuckled and continued his way down to the common room, feeling as if he had dodged a wand. He almost groaned aloud when he got down and saw the devil herself waiting for him.

Velma Elswood was perched on one of the long, stiff leather couches. The buttons of her uniform shirt were undone and the edge of her green bra was showing, with her legs wide open letting her matching knickers show. "Scorp!" The shrill voice of the licentious girl was loud in the emptied room, as she bounced up and ran over to the man. Velma practically draped herself on top of Scorpius, and he let out a warning growl, shoving her off. "I was waiting for you."

Scorpius scoffed, "aren't you with Macnair, Elswood?" He tried to be gentle as he pushed her off of him, her perfume clogging his nose.

"Not if you don't want me to be," she giggled, a loud and annoying sound, pushing Scorpius' headache on.

When he finally got her off of him, he quickly made his way to the door. "Don't worry, I'll never want you. You should go find him, Elswood." Scorpius sighed when he got out, escaping all of the obnoxious and pushy Slytherins. The tall man sped up, never having been more thankful for Rose and their room. He arrived in a short amount of time, and was quiet as he made his way inside. Scorpius smiled when he saw Rose wrapped up in a book on the couch, appreciating how she gave herself fully to her indulgences.

He soundlessly approached her, loving the way her nose scrunched up and her eyelashes fluttered against her pink cheeks. His foot scuffed the floor and Rose looked up, her beautiful face smiling happily. "Hi," she whispered to him, biting her lip. Scorpius sat down, both of them comfortable with the small amount of space left between each other. "How are you," she asked politely.

"Good, now," he replied, and smirked when she blushed at his words. "You look glorious," Scorpius complimented, and Rose's face turned to an even dark shade. But she did look glorious; the fire warmed up her features, her lips looked delectably full, and her blue eyes sparked.

She smiled shyly at him, "thank you." Rose had something on her mind, something she was dying to ask him, but she didn't know if she could. He watched her tinker nervously, placing her book down behind her on the couch. He smiled when she asked, "Scorpius?" He hummed his response, and she blushed graciously. "You know the other day, when you kissed me?"

Scorpius smiled, and nodded. "Well, I have been thinking about it a lot. All the time, really. And I was wondering," she paused and he could feel her anxiety. "Um, could you- could we possibly do it again?" Rose asked very quietly, her eyes down casted in her lap.

Grey eyes watched his beauty with admiration, loving what he could do to her. "You want to kiss me," Scorpius teased, grabbing her chin and forcing her eyes up. She nodded into his hand and he smiled. He leaned forward, and stopped when their noses touched, his breath washing over her. "Who am I to deny you anything," he whispered across to her.

Rose's eyes closed when, seconds later, his delicious lips were covering hers. She felt a familiar burn in the deep pit of her stomach, and felt electricity shoot through her veins. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, resting her on his lap. Rose gasped onto his lips when she felt a moisture dampen her knickers as she tingled down between her legs, unsure as to what it was. He pulled back, his eyes a dark grey color, and he rubbed his hands over her waist.

Leaning in again, Rose attached her lips back to Scorpius', feeling as if she never wanted to leave them. He pulled back a fraction of an inch so their lips were still together and said, "you can touch me, Rose." He kissed her again, and Rose cautiously brought her hands up, resting them on the hard planes of his chest. Scorpius brought one of his hands up and held the side of her face, molding it to his.

Gently, ever so carefully, he parted his lips and ran the tip of his tongue against her bottom lip. He smirked when she gasped, and opened her mouth for him, letting him snake his tongue in. Rose had never felt anything so dangerously addictive in her life, she felt as if she was burning, and his touch fueled the fire. His mouth felt new, sensationally new, but she was sure she could never stop even if she wanted to. He gave her a feeling she had never felt before, and her hands squeezed and shook with passion against him. Scorpius was tender as he worked her lips, his tongue pushing against her, urging her on.

Her hands slid up and wrapped around the back of his neck, stroking the small hairs there. Scorpius applied a delicate pressure to her lips, enjoying how she learned to move her mouth back against his. She tasted heavenly, felt heavenly, and he knew he was addicted. Leaning forward to lightly nip her bottom lip, Scorpius pulled away. She smiled at him, holding back a giggle, and he stroked the side of her face. Unable to control himself he leaned forward and stole one last short kiss from her sweet lips.

"Scorpius," she whispered to him, still in his arms. "What are we? Are we… something?" He could tell she was worried, and he squeezed her waist, pulling her slightly closer.

Scorpius smiled and said, "only if you want to be something. I'll be whatever you want." Rose beamed at him, his touch making her squirm because of the new feelings.

Her fingers continued to stroke his neck, her breasts brushing against his chest every time she breathed. "What about you? What do you want," Rose asked, a content look in her blue eyes. Scorpius smiled and stared for a moment, appreciating her beauty.

"You. I want you." Scorpius felt his chest tighten as she smiled at him, appreciating his small touches. Sitting up a bit he puffed out his chest, grabbing her hand and kissing it gallantly. "Rose Weasley, will you do me the pleasure of being mine?"

She laughed and nodded, biting her lip, "yes." She leaned against him and giggled, not able to hold it back this time. Rose felt a joy come over herself, knowing that she was someone's, and someone was her's. She leaned forward and pressed a long kiss to his lips, enjoying the new found hobby she had spent hours thinking about since she first discovered it. Rose adjusted, and moved to she was sitting next to him, her head laid on his shoulder.

"My friends want to meet you," he said as casually as he could, hoping he wouldn't scare her off.

Rose looked at him questioningly. "You told them," her soft, musical voice asked, and he knew she wasn't upset with him. Just curious.

He shook his head, reaching up to stroke a piece of her long soft hair. "No, I didn't tell them, I didn't need to. They found out, and demanded to meet you." He easily saw the apprehensive look on her face, and was quick to add, "but you don't have to meet them, of course. Not if you don't want to."

"No, no, they seem lovely," Rose said nicely, and Scorpius smiled at her. "I'd love to meet them."

Reaching behind her, Scorpius picked up her book, and pulled it in front of them. "Can I read," he asked, and Rose nodded, secretly thrilled he had asked. His husky voice, practically made for reading, rumbled out the text of her book. He caressed each word, and soon his voice became a soft lullaby, soothing Rose like nothing had before.

The warmth of the fire comforted the couple, all cozied on the couch. Scorpius read into the night, paying no attention to the words he read, but the goddess next to him instead. Several chapters later, when the moon was high in the sky, Scorpius looked over at his Rose. He smiled when he saw sleep had taken her, her eyelids fluttering as she breathed deeply. She was snuggled into him, his scent and voice cocooning her.

Leaning down Scorpius pressed a light kiss to her forehead, inhaling her glorious scent for a moment. "Goodnight, my little lamb," he whispered to her, knowing he was easily the luckiest wizard who ever had been.

* * *

Rose smiled and shook her head at the group of giggling first-years that passed her, fawning over a couple of third-year boys. The entire school was making their way down to dinner, their stomachs ready to be filled. Everyone seemed to be in a cheery mood that Friday night, ready for a weekend of nothingness.

The small girl took her time, letting her eager schoolmates pass her, not in the particular mood to socialize. She stopped to peer out a long window, watching the wind slip past the trees. With a quick glance towards the bustling Great Hall, she made a rash decision and quickly slipped out the entrance doors. Once outside, the buzz of merry voices faded away, leaving her with the peaceful sigh of the wind.

She watched the bright, golden ball of sun blaze in the distance, and she let out a huge breath. Rose wrapped her arms around herself, the early December air chilling her, and she made her way across the beautiful Scottish land. The air was thin, and icy, with the promise of frigid snow soon to come. She watched the remaining crisp leaves fall, creating colorful piles on the dead grass, crunching as she stepped over them. Rose walked for awhile, stopping only when she got to her favorite place by the Black Lake. She made a spot under a large oak tree, now naked and bare from the cold, and pulled out her current book from her bag.

The altruistic girl sat for awhile, simply watching as the glowing sun slowly fading, hiding itself under the edge of the water. Rose leaned back against the solid tree, the pages of her novel flapping in the wind. She appreciated the silence nature brought her, and the serenity the atmosphere held. Her thoughts trailed to Scorpius, as they often did lately, and Rose thought she hadn't ever been as happy as she was when she was with him.

She stayed there until the night crept upon her, with the vivid stars blinking at her in the sky. Rose smiled up at the sky, turning so she could lay on her back and peer at the magnificent picture. And as she laid there she recalled how her and her mother would go out on summer nights and name all the stars, allowing a warm feeling to fill her.


	15. Chapter 15

Here is chapter fifteen, and it is a bit longer, as promised. I just wanted to quickly bring up a topic that one of my readers pointed out to me. I read a comment last night about chapter thirteen, and it said that Scorpius was nearly declaring his love to Rose after she makes the confession about her past… I don't think he is in love with her at all. Do I think he cares for her very deeply, yes. But I don't think his feelings for Rose are quite to the level of love, whatever that might mean. Anyways, thank you all so much for the feedback, I hope I cleared up the uncertainty for that reader!

* * *

Scorpius frowned as he adjusted his green necktie, fastening it with a fluency that came only with time. He left the Great Hall, heading to his first class of the day, and nearly groaned when he heard someone yell out, "Scorpius." Turning around he saw it was his cousin stalking after him, hand held high in a plead.

A confining look was on Dawson's face as he approached the tall man, his eyes a shade darker than usual. "I need to speak to you," the inky haired man said, gesturing to a small side alcove. Scorpius hid his frown and bit his tongue as he followed orders, using his height as an advantage when he turned to his cousin. "Listen, I need to talk to you about something-"

"You said that already," Scorpius complained, crossing his arms as he cut the irritated boy off. "Get to your point, Dawson."

"Alright," the darker boy said, clearing his throat, trying to look forceful as he did so. "What are your intentions with Rose Weasley?" The question was blatant but clear.

Scorpius raised a blonde eyebrow, otherwise hiding all emotions perfectly. He was startled with the confrontation, and confused as to why Dawson was the one confronting him. Scorpius was calm when he next spoke, although he felt a disatisfaction building up inside. "What are you talking-"

It was Dawson's turn to interrupt, he apparently thought. "Save me the bullshit act, Malfoy, I've seen you with her lately. And I need to be sure you know one thing," he paused, and Scorpius stayed blessedly silent. "Rose is a nice girl, too nice for you. She doesn't deserve to have her heart broken like all the others. And if you know what's good for you, you will stay away from her. I mean, think of what our grandparents would say."

A thick silence filled the air, and the boys stared eachother down from their side of the hall. "No," Scorpius said after a minute, smirking like Lucifer himself.

"What," Dawson asked, honestly thinking he had heard wrong. Malfoy was usually a semi rational guy, at least he had thought.

Scorpius happily repeated himself. "I said no. I will not stay away from her, and you cannot stop me. And frankly, I don't give a damn what my grandparents think, they can shoot their opinions down to hell." He gave the Head Boy one last evil smile, and strolled away, ignoring the boy's protests.

Later on the day, when Scorpius was in History of Magic, he thought over his cousin's words. He knew he wouldn't hurt Rose, he didn't even think he was capable of it. But he also was aware of his past with girls. Scorpius had broken a fair share of hearts, he knew this, though he never meant to break any of them.

But Rose was different. He wanted her for everything she was. He wanted _all_ of her.

* * *

"And it would be wise for you to remember that the _Protego_ is your best bet during any duel. It's power and ability alone beats all other spells." Professor Blackband continued on about the shield charm, most of his class feverantly taking notes. Well, all but one it seemed.

Grey eyes watched as Rose bent her head low, scribbling down every word the professor said, in the hopes of improving her dreadful dueling skills. Scorpius fascinated himself with the way she bit her full bottom lip as her tongue came out to wet it, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. He felt himself grow more distracted as he recalled the sensational kiss he shared with the small witch only days earlier. Scorpius' lips tingled remembering the way her sweet mouth felt against his.

The faraway Slytherin was distracted when the classroom door was pushed open and the Headmistress strolled in. McGonagall's elegantly aged body stood tall as she walked in, peering at all her hard working students, the tiniest of a smile pulling at her mouth. "Mister Blackband," the Headmistress nodded to her employee, receiving a courteous nod back.

"Minerva, how are you?" Otto asked politely, and the class watched on, thankful the note taking had paused.

"Well, thank you." The older witch looked around the room, and Scorpius watched her hard eyes stop on his girl. "I'm am dreadfully sorry to have interrupted your class, but I must borrow my Head Girl."

All eyes turned to the brunette, who grew a magnificent blush. Blackband nodded and said, "of course. Miss Weasley, you may go. Be sure to get the rest of the notes from someone later on." Rose nodded, packing her things away, still blushing. A few students stared in envy as the girl left, escaping the dreaded notes.

Once out in the hall, Headmistress smiled at her prided student. "I am sorry to take you out of class, I wouldn't have done so if it wasn't necessary."

Rose's eyebrows furrowed, and the pit of her stomach churned with nerves. "Is everything alright, Headmistress McGonagall?"

Minerva noticed the anxiety in her voice, and smiled reassuringly at her. "Oh, no, no. Everything is fine, my dear. Nothing you need to worry yourself over." Rose sighed, and the rest of their way was spent in a comfortable silence. When they stepped into the office, several portraits greeted the Head Girl, smiling pleasantly at her. Rose sat in one of the two chairs in front of the desk when she was instructed to, hands folded in her lap.

The Headmistress got comfortable in her completely uncomfortable looking chair, shuffling parchment around until she found the piece she need. "Now, the reason I have got you here today is to discuss your test." Rose nodded, immediately knowing what she was speaking of. "The ministry has just notified me, telling me the exam is ready. It says here, you are scheduled to take it Saturday, January eighteenth. You can take it here, in the castle, with ministry officials. Are you okay with that date?" Minerva looked up from the paperwork, and Rose confirmed silently.

Minerva placed the parchment down, seeing the scared look on her most precious pupil's face. "Rose," she said gently, grabbing the girl's eyes. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

Rose sighed and nodded, her eyes dancing around the room. "Yes, I know, it just seems everyone wants me to. My mother wants me to, my family wants me to. I see no harm in taking it, I just think it is a bit useless, is all. I mean, nothing will change no matter what the outcome of it is. I'll still be me, won't I?"

The older woman smiled, wrinkles from happiness appearing on her face. "Of course you will be, dear." The older and young witch shared a look, their powers different, but great. "Well then, if you are all set with the date, that will be all. I will let them know you are ready, and I will send an owl to your parents informing them. Have a wonderful evening, dear." Rose smiled as she stood and made her way out, getting stopped along the way. "And Rose, just remember; your family will always be there for you. No matter what." The matronly women smiled and winked, reminding Rose of her endearing family.

Rose walked herself down the winding stairwell, surprised to see a body at the bottom waiting for her. The tall blonde was leaned against a wall, hands in his pockets, a distractedly patient look on his aristocratic features. The girl couldn't help but take him and all of his glory in, realizing how truly handsome he was, and how lucky she was. "Scorpius," she mummered across the distance, grabbing his attention.

He strolled over to her, hands still deep in his pockets. "Hey, hope you don't mind me waiting for you." Rose gave him an incredible smile causing her to show off the dimple on her cheek, taking a step forward so they were almost chest to chest.

Shaking her head, she said, "of course not. That was very considerate of you." Scorpius returned the smile, leaning down to land a short kiss on her cheek. Rose tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as they made the long trek back to the main castle.

"What did she want you for," Scorpius asked, having held off his question for as long as he could, hoping he didn't sound intrusive. He would never admit it aloud, but he had been worried since she had been pulled out of class.

Rose blinked, "my exam." Her answer was short and obvious, and Scorpius felt as though he was missing something. After a side glancing at his face, Rose realized he hadn't a clue what she was talking about. "Oh, I'm sorry, I had forgotten you don't know. How do I explain this," she said to herself, scrunching her nose in the cutest of ways. "Um, well I guess this all started third year, when I broke the record for highest scoring exams, since the eleventh century. The ministry was notified, for a reason I'm still unsure of, and they became extraordinarily interested."

Scorpius saw the upset look on her face, and listened carefully. "They didn't do anything until fifth year, when my O.W.L. scores came back with all ' _Outstandings_ '. Not only that, but my scores were apparently so high, no one had ever done as good since Rowena Ravenclaw. So they contacted my parents and said they wanted me to take this test called the _test of knowledge_ , to see exactly how high my intelligence is. I was off put by the idea, I don't think it matters smart I am, but my family was thrilled, especially my mum. And so, I was just informed that the exam is ready for me, and I will be taking it this January."

Rose sighed, squeezing the hard muscles of Scorpius arm. "I just don't see the point of it. So what if I am as clever as Rowena Ravenclaw, that doesn't change anything!" Scorpius looked down at her, realizing for the first time Rose Weasley really didn't care about how clever she was. He had always thought she prided herself on her brains, but now he knew it just came naturally to her.

"You're right, it doesn't matter." Scorpius said, making Rose smile. He decided then would be a good time to change the subject to something rather troublesome. "Remember the other day how I told you my mates wanted to meet you," he paused and saw her nod enthusiastically. "Well, they happen to think no time is better than the present, and would be delighted to meet you tonight."

Smiling up at him, Rose said, "I would love to meet them!" Scorpius nodded, although felt like warning her. Her face fell a minute later though, and she quietly said, "what if they don't like me?"

"That's impossible, Rose, I'm sure they'll love you." He smiled down at her, and added, "they can be a bit… overbearing at times. But I warned them to be kind to you earlier, so I'm sure you won't have much to worry about."

Laughing, Rose shook her head, not worried in the least. "Scorpius, I grew up with ten overbearing cousins, I'm sure they will be fine."

Scorpius' eyes bulged, almost falling out of his head, he was shocked to say the least. " _Ten_ , dear Merlin." Rose laughed, telling him it was no big deal, but he couldn't even fathom the idea of having such a large family. "Well, alright then, let's be on our way. They're waiting." Rose nodded, biting her lip as she tried to hide her nerves.

The two strolled slowly down into the dungeons, admiring the changing scenery outside. As they slipped a staircase lower, Rose felt the familiar coldness of the dungeons, and said, "my goodness. It is always so cold down here, I don't know how you all do it."

The tall man smirked, rubbing his hand up and down her thin arm for warmth. "You get use to it, I hardly notice anymore." Rose rolled her eyes, thinking he was incredible, just as they arrived in front of the portrait.

"Wait," the Ravenclaw said in a small voice, grabbing his arm when he went to say the password. "What if your housemates get mad that I'm here again. I don't want to cause any trouble." Rose bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously to the door.

Stepping forward, he gently grabbed her chin and forced her eyes up. He hated that she was anxious because of his horrid classmates. "Rose, listen to me, you don't have anything to worry about. I'm with you, and I promised you will always be safe with me. Besides they should respect you, you're there Head Girl." Rose took a deep breath as she nodded to him, and he smiled down at her. Grabbing her hand he lead her to the door, and added, "anyways, you don't see many students in the common room during the week. Most of us are in our rooms, or around the castle."

The strange couple entered the common room; a place Scorpius had been countless times before, but a first for Rose. And true to his word, the room was almost empty, only three younger years lingered in a corner, noiselessly studying. They eyed her suspiciously, but went back to their work when they saw Scorpius step inside a moment later. She couldn't believe how quiet and calm the room was compared to the Gryffindor common room.

Looking around, Rose took in the strange, new place. The room had an eerie glow to it, giving the atmosphere a dark feel. The room was luxurious, all the furniture shiny and expensive looking. The Head Girl knew the room wasn't a place she would like to spend much time in, but respected others tastes and preferences. Looking towards a window, Rose jumped slightly when a creature swam by, causing Scorpius to smirk in enjoyment. "Come on," he said amused, grabbing her hand and leading her to the staircase.

As they approached the door, Rose yet again asked him to pause, squeezing his hand tightly. "What if they truly don't like me, Scorpius. I mean, I am a halfblood, afterall. And-"

"And nothing," Scorpius demanded, shushing the beautiful, nervous girl. "Rose, they don't give two damns about your blood, just like me. I know they will like you, it's not possible for them not to. You have nothing to fear." Rose caved in and gave her boyfriend a knowing look, and Scorpius smiled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Rose could feel her stomach in knots when he opened the door to his dorm, her cold hand entwined with his warm one. "You're back already, mate? I thought you were going to-" Luciano's deep voice was cut off when he looked up from his magazine and saw a small girl, half hiding behind Scorpius. Quinn looked at the door from his spot at his desk when he heard his friend pause, smirking at what he saw.

The two men observed the fetching petite girl, as well as they could with half her body hidden behind Scorpius. Her pretty blue eyes were big, and they could see she was nervous, so they offered kind smiles. They admired her beauty, mentally applauding their mate. "Ah," Luciano said with a huge grin, standing from his bed. "You must be the lovely Rose."

Scorpius squeezed her hand comfortingly, stepping sideways so she couldn't hide. Rose smiled, blushing as she nodded at the handsome Italian. "Yes," she said softly in her sweet voice, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well," the excited man said, sneaking a smile and wink at Scorpius. "It is my complete pleasure to _finally_ meet you. My name is Luciano Zabini." Leaning forward, the flirt grabbed her hand, pressing a long kiss to the back it.

Once Luciano was a safe distance away, Scorpius led her over to his bed, giving her a place to sit. A throat was cleared, and Rose looked up to see an equally dashing man in front of her. With a calming voice, he said, "i'm Quinn Nott, Scorpius' more rational and normal friend." Rose held her hand over her mouth to hide a laugh, causing Quinn to wink at her. "It's nice to meet you."

Scorpius watched happily from his place next to Rose, watching her smile genuinely at his mates. "It is wonderful meeting you both," the girl said pleasantly, and the two men smiled back at her.

"Hey," Luciano yelled suddenly, snapping his fingers dramatically. "I know where I know you from."

"We have had classes with her for six years, twat," Scorpius said sarcastically, causing Quinn to laugh.

Frowning, Luciano shook his head, sending a glare to the blonde. "I know that, you prick." Turning back to Rose he said, "you were the lassie that patched Scorpius up after the game that month ago, aren't ya?"

Blushing, the small girl nodded a confirm. "You owe her your bloody damn life, mate," Quinn said, nudging Scorpius with his elbow. "He'd be dead, if it weren't for you."

Rose shook her head, "oh no, I hardly did much. Besides, he was a superb healer; he did most of it on his own." Quinn looked to Scorpius, and could hardly see the lightest of blushes on his pale face.

"Well, well, would you look at this. Someone who can make our Scorpius Malfoy blush, what a miracle you must be, Rose." The Ravenclaw turned and noticed no color on his face, but knew his friends would probably noticed it better. She felt a strange sort of pride in knowing she had some sort of effect on him.

Scorpius frowned, "alright, I think our time to leave has come." Grabbing her hand, he helped her off his bed, heading towards the door.

"Awe, come on, Malfoy. Don't be like that. We just got to meet little Rose, you can't steal her away so soon." Luciano whined, and Quinn nodded in agreement.

Scorpius gave them a look that said ' _I can and I will'_. Rose smiled at the two, "it was lovely meeting you. I hope I'll see you around." And with his goodbye, the two were out the door before his friends could embarrass him even more.

"Sorry about them," Scorpius said to her as they left the common room, passing by the same group of students, who glared at her just as curiously as before.

The small girl just shook her head, and squeezed his hand. "No, they were marvelous. I really like them." And the Slytherin was inwardly pleased at this, glad they didn't frighten her away. The two made their way back to her dorm, Scorpius having Quidditch practice later that night. When they made it to the familiar portrait, Rose smiled gorgeously up at Scorpius, reminding him of her endless beauty. He reached a hand out and stroked the side of her soft face, then dropped his touch down to hold her waist and pulled her closer.

Rose stood on her tippytoes when Scorpius began to lean down, closing her eyes. Their lips met softly, lightly moving against each other deliciously. Rose, with no hesitation, reached a hand up and placed it behind his neck, pulling him closer to her. Scorpius nearly groaned when she did this, glad she was finally fully comfortable around him. Their lips made a sweet sound when they parted, and Rose smiled, stroking his silky hair automatically. "Goodnight, Rose," his deep voice rumbled, sending shivers down her spine.

"Goodnight, Scorpius," she said, the taste of her lingering on his mouth.


	16. Chapter 16

Hey guys! Here is chapter sixteen for you all. I have been worrying myself a bit today, seeing as no one left their thoughts on last chapter… did you not like it? If so, let me know and why. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love it if you could continue to leave me notes, thanks!

 _ **Also a warning**_ **;** this chapter is the start of where the rated **'M'** comes into play. There is explicit sexual content in this chapter, please do not read if it will offend or disturb you.

* * *

Rose let out a beautifully delicate laugh, her hair slipping off her shoulder as she threw her head back. Her face was flushed pink, and her eyes were big and shining. Scorpius smirked to himself, watching and wondering how he got her, the perfect goddess in front of him. "It's not funny," he said seriously, though he was unsuccessfully biting down a smile.

She giggled one last time, reaching across the table to grab his pale hand, clasping it in both of hers. "I know, I'm sorry. I just can't help myself." Rose brought his hand up to her mouth and left warm kisses on his knuckles.

"My family thought I was gonna die, they even ordered my gravestone… we still have it." That statement finished Rose off, and there was no bringing her back. She clutched the sides of her chairs, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. Scorpius' eyes snuck a glance at the delicious curve of her breasts, peeking from the top of her shirt. "Rose," he growled out in the meanest voice he was able to muster. This caught her attention, and she bit her lip hard, a laugh escaping her every moment or two.

Scorpius loved the way she seemed to glow, her happiness spreading all around her. "Sorry, sorry. It's just- why on Earth would you listen to a House elf if they told you there was a pot of gold sitting at the top of a tree. That's the silliest thing I have ever heard."

The tough man cleared his throat, defending himself. "Well I'm sorry not all of us grew up with brains better than Merlin himself. I broke four bones, but I learned my lesson; don't trust elves." Rose smiled at him, enjoying all of the childhood stories he had told her that evening.

Just then their waiter came, placing the bill in front of Rose, saying, "it is all set, thank you both for coming. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend." Scorpius looked up at the little lady sitting across from him, who seemed to be looking everywhere but his face.

With an incredible speed, Scorpius reached his long arm across the table, and snatched the bill straight from under her dainty hand. Unfolding it, he read that his lovely date had paid for their lunch before hand. And though he felt immediate irritation, he had to admit he was proud that Rose had managed to do something so Slytherin-like.

He looked up to see her twirling a strand of wavy hair between her fingers, observing it. Scorpius said nothing, standing from his chair and walking around the table to pull out hers. He picked up her coat, helping her into it. After she pulled it on, he leaned forward, stroking her hair off her shoulder so her long tanned neck was bare to him. Scorpius snaked one arm around her waist and pulled her close, leaning forward so his lips hovered over her deliciously smooth skin.

He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, bending to whisper in her ear. "You little devil," was all he said. Rose's eyes drifted shut when she suddenly felt his lips over her neck, leaving a wet kiss to mark her. Grabbing her hand, Scorpius spun her around to face him, locking eyes. He smirked down at her, and Rose felt a thrill inside of herself. The handsome Slytherin pressed another quick kiss the her lips, and the couple made their way out of the restaurant.

"Do you mind if we make a stop?" Scorpius asked once they were back on the cobble streets. That morning the pair, along with the school, went down for their last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas. But, like before, Scorpius snuck his beauty away, bringing her to another little town off of Hogsmeade. Rose was less apprehensive than last time, fully trusting Scorpius.

The short girl shook her head, "no that's fine, it's lovely here." Scorpius nodded, leading Rose through the thick crowd of Christmas shoppers. The two quickly made their way, stopping to enter a luxurious looking clothing shop.

Only moments after they had entered, they were greeted by a stunning women. "Scorpius, my dear! Come, come, how are you?" A tall redhead stepped into the room, rushing forward to embrace him. Rose was pushed aside from the force of their hug, and she crossed her arms over her chest impatiently. The attractive women looked only a few years older than the two of them, but her beauty was incomparable.

Pulling back from her embrace, Scorpius greeted his friend merrily. Practically feeling her disgruntled mood, he looked over at Rose, and saw her with an adorable pout on her face. Holding back a chuckle, he went up to his girl, grabbing her hand and pulling her next to him. "Deanna, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Rose." The small girl looked up at him, smiling when she heard him introduce her as his for the first time.

The pretty redhead, Deanna, smiled graciously at Rose, moving forward to shake hands. "Nice to meet you, Rose. I'm Deanna, an old friend of Scorpius'." The girls smiled at each other, and the Slytherin moved his arm around Rose's waist, rubbing her side soothingly. "So," Deanna said, turning and winking at Scorpius. "I'm guessing you're here for your package, and didn't just fancy a visit with me." He barked out a laugh, but nodded. "Right, no heart feelings this time, Malfoy. I have it in the back, you can follow me."

The trio made their way through the store, Rose admiring all the stunning, yet extraordinarily expensive looking clothes. As they walked, she reached her hand out and closed her eyes at the feel of the soft velvety materials, Scorpius watching her secretly. They stopped at a counter, Deanna moving to crouch down behind it, and popped back up with a box in her hand. "Here it is. And I have to admit, this is a beautiful choice, I know she will love it."

Deanna placed the box on the counter, gently lifting the lid and peeling back tissue paper. Rose watched her carefully pull a stunning silk dress out, the sumptuous material sighing as it moved. The dress was floor length with a cinched waist and lace sleeves, in a lovely purple shade. The top of the gown had delicate beading, that upon first glance, Rose could just tell was hand stitched with care.

The small witch easily knew it was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. Scorpius inspected it carefully, and Deanna quickly pipped in. "It's her favorite colour, if I remember correctly?" Scorpius nodded, and gestured for her to wrap it up.

"It looks phenomenal, Deanna, thank you." The redhead blushed lightly, waving her hand at she expertly tied a ribbon around the white box. The man reached into his jacket pocket and placed a full bag of galleons on the counter, pushing it towards Deanna. "Thank you, again," Scorpius said as he grabbed the box and held it under his arm. "See you in August!"

Deanna laughed and waved her hand at the pair. "Goodbye, Scorpius. It was nice meeting you, Rose." The pair was out on the crowded streets again, heading for the sneaky route back to Hogsmeade. The two walked in a silence for awhile, until Scorpius couldn't hold himself back any longer. "You were jealous," his deep voice accused.

Rose looked away when she answered him, as she was sure he could read her emotions perfectly. "I was not," she answered with a puff of breath, pulling her arm out of his and crossing them over her chest, the pout returning. Scorpius was about to tease her more when she decided to change the subject. "Who is that for," Rose asked, still sounding mildly cross with him.

Scorpius reached and snatched her hand in his again, "my mother. It's her Christmas present, she is a fanatic about clothes." The small girl nodded at him, still averting her eyes. Scorpius sighed, and surprised Rose by quickly pulling her to the side of the road, making her squeal. "Rose," he said, his impatience melting away when he looked into her doe eyes.

Wrapping his free arm around her waist, he pulled her so she was flush against his chest, her hands resting on his pectorals. "You have no need to be jealous, little lamb. I am with you for a reason. I have no desire to even look at any other women because I have you, you make all of them disappear. Understand?" Scorpius watched Rose nod, and wasted no more time as he placed a hand in her hair and pulled her forward.

Then Scorpius kissed her, but with a fierce passion she had never felt before. His hand in her hair pushed her so she was against him, his lips massaging her own expertly. He could taste the chocolate mousse she ate for dessert, and was pleased that he was finally kissing her like he had ached to do as he watched her lips take in the thick pudding. Rose moved her hands up behind his neck, and Scorpius growled into her mouth when she pulled him down to her. Rose felt Scorpius run his tongue over her lips, and she gasped just as he pulled away.

Looking at her pink full lips, Scorpius wanted nothing more than to shove her against the nearest wall and make her his. But alas they were surrounded by crowds of people, and they had somewhere to be. So, mustering up all the self resistance he had, Scorpius stole one last glance at her, and said "we should be going, it's nearly six." Rose simply nodded, her voice not working at the moment.

The two chatted idly as they made their way back, hands clasped with each other, walking in step. When they made it to Hogsmeade, they found it mostly emptied out, the lanes filled with dead leaves instead of students. They hunkered up the trails to the castle, waving a hello to Hagrid when they passed by, watching Fang struggle to keep up with him. And as the leaves crunched under their feet as they walked, Scorpius couldn't contain the content feeling he felt as he held her hand.

* * *

Later that night Rose was soaked in a lavish bath, her entire body encased with warm lavender water. She closed her eyes and leaned against the back of the tub, her worries floating far away. The relaxed girl laid there still for awhile, watching the night sky out the window in her bathroom. As she watched a star twinkle brightly, her thoughts unconsciously traveled off to Scorpius. She smiled as she recalled their wondrous day, thankful for every moment she was with him.

Her mind went off again, this time to his divine kisses. Rose practically fell apart there in her tub when she recalled the feeling of his scorching lips against the skin of her neck. She felt the wonderfully strange feeling twist in the pit of her stomach, and could feel a blush on her skin. Rose couldn't control herself as thoughts of his lips all over herself popped into her mind, leaving her heart racing.

She pictured his kisses covering her; on her neck, her breasts, her stomach, everywhere. Rose let out a gasp when she suddenly was imagining him pressing kisses between her legs, on her most sacred place. Suddenly she felt a strange wetness between her legs, and she stood from the tub so fast most of the water splashed onto the floor. But she paid no attention to it.

Rose stepped out of the tub, quickly drying herself and putting on her cotton nightgown. She manually made sure all the doors and windows were locked, then climbed into the giant bed, eager to fall asleep and get away from the unknown new feelings.

Seconds turned into minutes, and after some time Rose realized she was far from sleep. She laid wide awake in her bed, laying flat on her back with her hands at her sides. She squeezed her eyes shut in the hopes of forcing sleep upon her, but found all she could think of with Scorpius. He was purely additive. Rose thought of him again, doing the devilish things to her, imagining him touching her where no one had before.

The wetness rushed into her knickers this time, making them more damp with every thought of him. Rose turned on her side, and felt her thighs slip together from her wet panties. And without thought, she did something she had never done before. Rose sneaked a hand under the covers, lifting her nightdress so it was around her waist, and spread her legs slightly so she could slip her hand between them. Her heart began to beat faster, and she had the far away fear someone would barge in any minute, but she couldn't seem to hold herself back. She pressed her shaking hand to the front of her kickers, and sighed loudly when she felt little relief.

Her stomach rolled and burned with an ache for Scorpius, though she knew he was far away in the dungeons of the castle. She then took her hand and stroked it over the knickers and found a tiny spark of electricity go through her, and she repeated the motion over and over again, until a quiet moan slipped from her lips. Rose paused when she heard herself, and her eyes shot up as she quickly yanked her hand up from beneath her covers. She felt her entire body blush when she fully realized what she had done, and she flipped on her stomach to bury her head into her pillows.

It took hours for her to fall asleep that night, with thoughts of Scorpius creeping into her mind, and the throb between her legs aching for his touch.


	17. Chapter 17

Today you all get to meet my favorite and least favorite character; he has been brooding in the back for awhile, but I think it's time he makes an appearance. I hope you all hate him as much as I do. A reader commented that they are excited for Rose's parents to hear about Scorpius, and I would just like to say that it was my _favorite_ chapter to write in this whole story, and though it isn't for a bit, I hope you stay excited!

Anyways, I would like to address a comment that was similar to the last. The review asked if Rose was in love with Scorpius, and I think I would have to answer the question the same as I did with the last. I believe as they spend more time with each other, Rose and Scorpius are clearly becoming closer and their feelings are most definitely getting deeper. BUT I do not think Rose is in love with him… this doesn't mean she will never be. Keep in mind, they only just formed a real relationship weeks ago, and I personally don't think people can fall in love that fast. I hope I answered the question and was able to stray from hurting anyones feelings.

If you are rooting for Rose and Scorpius… which I am sure we all are since you are reading a ScoRose… I would just advise you all to stay tuned.

* * *

Scorpius whistled cheerfully as he walked, a new bounce in his step. He traveled down to his dorm, tapping a beat onto his leg with his long fingers, his eyes glazed over. "Beneath," he said to the portrait, and stepped in after it squeaked opened for him. Several pairs of eyes landed on him as he entered, most envious or admiring. A group of drooling third-year girls began giggling madly when Scorpius sent a devious wink their way. His merry tune continued as his long legs descended the stairs, and shocked himself as he even stopped to say a hello to a friendly sixth-year.

Busting into his room, Scorpius quickly spotted Macnair lounging on his bed, appearing to have been waiting for company. The tall man ignored his roommate rudely, going to grab the one thing he went all that way for; his broomstick. He opened the doors to his closet, his back turned to Terrance. "Tisk, tisk, Malfoy," he heard a dead voice say, and he gripped the doors of his closet tightly, making them crack under his strength. "Ignoring your superiors? How impolite of you."

Grabbing his broomstick, Scorpius slammed his closet shut, impatiently spinning on his heel to face the bothersome boy. "Superior," he scoffed, raising an eyebrow, "you wish, Macnair." Scorpius turned, intending on making it out of the room before any more nuisance fell out of his roommate's mouth.

His wishes went ignored. "I heard something interesting, Malfoy." Terrance stood from his bed, his eyes made of steel. Scorpius sighed and turned to face the boy, staring at him from across the room.

"And what was that?" The blonde sounded strong and fearless, though his stomach churned with anticipation and anxiety.

Terrance smirked wickedly, his crooked teeth on display. Scorpius' eyes flicked down to his hands, watching them tremble so slightly. "You got yourself a girl, didn't ya?" Scorpius felt his stomach drop to the bottom of his shoes, his hands forming into tight balls at his side. When his company said nothing, Terrance continued, "a pretty little thing, too. Sweet, innocent Rose Weasley."

The shorter man took a few daring steps forward, knowing exactly what he was doing. Macnair, like most people with brains, was aware of the famous Malfoy anger, and knew he was pushing him on. "Is she nice, Malfoy? She looks like she would be loads of fun in bed. It's always the quiet ones, eh?"

Scorpius breathed loudly through his nose, pulling his fury back with immense self restraint. "You'll stop if you know what's good for you." The tall blonde dropped his broom, stepping closer to the boy, towering over him.

"You ever think about sharing? I've imagined fucking her so-" The persistent boy was cut off when Scorpius' fist collided with his jaw. The power of the punch sent Terrance flying backwards, landing on the floor, gripping his face in pain.

Passionate smoky eyes were trained on the injured boy, watching him spit blood out of his mouth and onto the floor. "I warned you before, and I'll warn you once more. Don't you ever fucking _dare_ speak of her again. Do you hear me?"

Gripping his bed for support, Terrance stood slowly, and when he let go of his jaw it was clear Scorpius had broken it. "I heard you, and now it's mine turn." The boy spat blood out with every word, wincing in pain as he spoke. "Keep her close, Malfoy, you never know what is lurking in the corners. One way or another, I'll have my turn with pretty little Rose. Just you wait."

Scorpius' felt disgusted, he felt like tossing up his dinner on the floor, then ripping apart the man in front of him. Just the thought of Macnair anywhere near _his_ Rose repulsed him beyond anything. "Stay the fuck away from her," he shouted to Terrance, the force of his voice making the boy psychically jump. Scorpius slammed the door shut behind him, his previous good mood squashed by his rage.

The Slytherin knew then, more than ever, he need to keep his girl safe. Scorpius refused to let anything happen to her, knowing he would rather die for her first.

* * *

Rose looked up, and held back a giggle when her eyes met Scorpius', seeing the restless look in them. She smiled at the wizard, mouthing ' _one more minute_ ' to him, and held up a slim finger. He had been patiently holding tight for fifteen minutes now, sitting a few tables down from Rose, waiting for her to finish the tutoring session she gave. But the fifth-year Hufflepuff apparently wished for Scorpius to have none of her, as he took his sweet time.

The Ravenclaw, equally as eager as her boyfriend, watched as the boy slowly, ever so slowly, solved an Arithmancy problem. Rose held back from tapping her finger on the table, next to the boy whose brain worked in slow motion. "Done," the boy stated in triumph, waiting for his tutor to check his work. Rose looked over it quickly, lacking the diligence and enthusiasm she normally possessed.

"It's perfect! Good work, Philip." The Hufflepuff smiled at the pretty girl as he stood and packed his bag, bidding her a thank you and goodbye. Rose watched the boy walk away, sighing as she stood to pack up her own books. The small girl barely held back her squeal of surprise when she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her, pulling her close.

Scorpius leaned forward and whispered to her in a dangerously low tone. "I thought the little freak would never be finished." Rose placed her hands on his, which were clasped over her skinny stomach. She squeezed him tightly when she felt his breath blow the shell of her ear, and she practically melted in his arms.

Rose smiled up at him as she turned around in his arms to face him, "well, you have me now." She giggled when he pressed his nose to her cheek, inhaling her scent, completely forgetting where they were.

"And I'll never let you go," he growled to her, leaving a long kiss just on the corner of her mouth, pulling back and smirking when she moved to kiss him. "Come on, it's my turn with you." Grabbing her hand, Scorpius led them out of the library. When they were a corridor away from _their_ room, he stopped suddenly. "Oh hell," he cursed, worrying Rose. "I forgot my Transfiguration essay at my dorm."

Rose smiled simply at him, putting a hand on his arm to calm him. "That's fine, we can stop to grab it." And when he said she should go ahead, that he would go fetch it, she shook her head. "No, it's alright, Scorpius. It'll only take a moment."

"You're sure," he asked, not waiting to make her go to the dungeons if she was uncomfortable. She nodded her head and smiled brightly up at him, and this time it was her who grabbed his hand and led the way. The two were deep under the castle in minutes, the gloomy atmosphere present as ever. When they stepped into his dorm, they found it blessedly empty, and Scorpius felt a sense of relief when he saw that his vile roommate was absent.

He allowed her in, and shut the door behind them, quickly going to his desk. Rose's eyes wandered around the room as he searched the desk for his paper, appreciating it fully for the first time. She easily noticed the luxuries of the room, knowing none of the other Houses came with such privilege. She went to the bed with 'Malfoy' carefully carved at the end of it, stroking her hand over his soft bedding, standing next to him.

Rose's eyes were drawn to a lovely guitar that stood beside Scorpius' desk, and she walked forward to it, asking, "do you play this as well?" Looking up from his organized mess, he nodded when he saw what she was pointing to. Excitement quickly filled her, "oh, could you play it for me?"

"Rose, I don't really like playing for people-"

But Scorpius' weak excuse was cut off. "Pretty please," Rose asked, pouting her lip and giving him puppy dog eyes. When she saw his lips twitch, she was sure she was breaking him. So she sauntered up to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her chin on his chest, looking up at him with big eyes. "Please?"

Rolling his eyes, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, unable to resist. "Fine," he sighed, and Rose smiled happily. Scorpius grabbed his beautiful instrument, and sat on the bed, chuckling when his excited beauty made herself comfortable next to him. After plucking the strings a few times, he started a song, one he had heard Rose hum many a times.

When she realized what he was playing, she grinned at him like a silly child who had discovered something marvelous for the first time. It was obvious that his talent came naturally to him, as he effortlessly made music flow from the wooden instrument. Scorpius watched Rose close her eyes for a moment, letting the music fill her completely. The melody was sweet and perfect, and she had to stop herself from humming along.

When he finished the song, Rose smiled at him, thoroughly impressed. "Any other hidden musical talents I should know about, Mister Malfoy?"

Scorpius set the guitar down on its stand next to the bed, grabbing her hand and pulling her so she sat next to him at the head of the bed. Rose leaned back against the pillows, her fingers toying with his larger ones absentmindedly. "I can play the violin and cello, too. And when you know how to perform with one wind instrument, the rest come easily, but my favorite is the saxophone. My mother caught me in the music room often when I was a child, and so when I was five she hired someone to come and teach me the ways of music. And once that started, it was impossible to stop me."

Rose smiled at him, reaching out to brush a strand of baby fine hair out of his face, imagining a small Scorpius at a grand piano. He peered at her, and was pleased inwardly with how comfortable she look lounged next to him on his bed. She saw the smirk on Scorpius' lips, and suddenly he was leaning over her, his arms on either side of her head. "You're gorgeous," he whispered, his eyes greedily taking all of her in. And then his lips were on hers, and nothing else mattered.

Rose easily responded to him, massaging her lips against his, creating a perfect passion between them. Scorpius brought one of his hands to the side of her face and caressed her tenderly, his other arm holding him above her. Rose slid her hands up his chest to into his hair, stroking the soft white blonde strands. And when he gently pressed his chest against her tingling breasts, Rose gasped at the sensation, allowing his to tongue to enter her mouth. Everything about her was addictive to him, he wanted to just drown himself completely in her.

The two mouths fought with each other, their tongues exploring each others mouths. Scorpius knew Rose had never done this with anyone else, but he knew it was the best kiss he had ever shared. She used her hands to pull his head closer to her, the powerful sensation tingling inside of her. Scorpius grew painfully hard in his pants when he felt her unintentionally rubbing her breasts against him, her hands stroking his back and neck. And he quickly scooted over in his bed so she wouldn't notice it.

Twenty minutes passed blissfully for them, as they explored each other in ways they never had before. When his back began to ache from his position, Scorpius quickly moved; sitting against the headboard, pulling Rose into his lap so she would straddle him. She pulled back for a moment, stroking the side of his face as she looked into his eyes, which were a shade darker. Rose leaned forward and kissed him again, this time slowly, as if to trying to memorise the feel of his glorious lips.

Scorpius put his large hands on her waist, her soft skin feeling heavenly under his touch. He thought he had never held anything so delicate and beautiful in his life. She moved her hands to hold his face, feeling the soft texture of his beard under her palms. Rose felt fire shoot through her from his touch, her stomach twisting madly with passion. Moments later, when one of his hands traveled down to hold her hip, Rose sighed into the kissing, feeling wetness seeping between her legs. She practically throbbed for friction, and wished his hands would travel lower, beneath her skirt to her wet knickers. Scorpius could feel the warmth and slight dampness of her panties against where she sat on his thigh, and had to keep from groaning aloud.

Rose pulled away when the feeling became almost painful, panting as she caught her breath. Scorpius drank the sight of her in; her swollen lips, her flushed face, her glazed over eyes. She dropped her hand down to his chest, feeling his erratic heartbeat under her palm, enjoying knowing he was as affected as she was.

Taking a deep breath, Rose said something she knew she wouldn't have said if she was thinking properly. "You make me feel things I've never felt before. You make me feel like no one else has." Scorpius smirked at her, leaning forward to steal one last kiss from her delicious lips.

"I'm never letting you go," Scorpius said to her, and Rose prayed he wasn't lying.


	18. Chapter 18

Hello again! I just wanted to pop in really quickly and say thanks for all the great feedback. I would love it if you all would continue to review and leave comments; it makes me so happy and motivates me to post when you do so. Thanks again, enjoy!

* * *

December winds blew her hair crazily around her head, her cheeks pink from the bitter cold. Her small hands fiddled with each other, reaching up to button the top of her black pea coat. Rose bit her lip, her mind racing and debating. She stood outside of the Slytherin Quidditch room, having been there for the past five minutes, the stands of the pitch filling up with every minute. She had wanted to go down and wish Scorpius good luck before his last winter game, although now that she was there, she didn't know if it was the best decision. But suddenly her mind was made up for her.

The door to the locker rooms was abruptly opened, and a tall girl was standing in front of the little Ravenclaw. The girl, with short hair and pale skin, was dressed in the Slytherin uniform, looking surprised. "Oh, hello," she said in a friendly manner. "Can I help you?"

Rose suddenly blushed furiously, having been caught in the act. "Oh- um, I'm sorry. I was just wondering if- you know what, never mind. I shouldn't be here." She was about to leave when the other girls words stopped her.

"Wait," Rose turned and saw the girl was shutting the door, approaching her. The Slytherin had her arms crossed over her chest, and was wearing a mischievous smirk. "You're Scorpius' girl, right? Rose, isn't it?" The small girl's eyes widened in panic, and her company quickly reassured her. "Oh, no, no, you don't need to be worried. I only know cause I'm dating Scorpius' friend, Luciano, and he can't keep a secret for shit. But I promise I won't tell anyone, your secret is safe with me."

The tall girl gave her a genial smile and a wink, seeming completely un-Slytherin. "Thank you," Rose said, calming down and stepping closer to the nice girl. "I'm Rose, but I suppose you already knew that."

"I'm Zoee Higgs," she said, and reached her hand out to shake hands. "Luciano said you were a tiny thing, but I didn't believe him." Zoee watched Rose blush uncomfortably and added, "but I'm guessing you're here to see your man, am I right?" When the Ravenclaw nodded her head she said, "well, right this way."

The two girls made their way inside and past a few younger years, who started openly at them. Rose held back a laugh when Zoee leaned in and whispered, "don't mind them, they just have never seen an outsider in here. Can't wrap their little minds around it, they probably think Scorpius will be furious with me." Rose looked around and noticed how clean it was compared to the Gryffindor's, having been dragged in once by Albus.

"Oh, Malfoy!" Zoee sang out loudly, as they made their way farther into the building. "I've got a present for you."

Rose smiled when she heard Scorpius' irritated voice from the next room over. "Not now, Higgs. It's no time for your bloody games, were playing in ten." Zoee turned and smirked knowingly at Rose before shoving the door open.

Both girls spotted their significant others, each strapping on the last pieces to their uniforms. "Oh, so you want me to tell her to leave then," Zoee asked casually, thumbing in the direction of her company. Confused, Scorpius looked up and saw his girlfriend standing next to his Keeper, looking nervous as ever.

"Rose," he said with a smile, standing and forgetting his job of tying his shoes. But Luciano made it to her first.

"Ay, Rosie Posie, how's it going? Come to support your favorite team before the big game?" The Italian playfully nudged her with his elbow, moving to wrap his arm around Zoee's waist.

Zoee smacked his chest, "oh, leave her alone. Come on, let's go check on the others." The tall girl pulled Luciano out of the room, giving the two some space. But before the door shut behind them, they heard him say something about not having too much fun.

"Hi," Rose said with a smile when they were finally alone, looking up at him shyly. "I wasn't sure if I should come or not, I didn't want to distract you."

Scorpius walked up to her, as she admired how ruggedly handsome he looked in his uniform, reminding her of the time he was hurt. Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her so she was against his toned chest. "Thanks for coming," he said, before leaning down and kissing her gratefully.

Rose quickly raised her arms around his neck, getting him down to her height so she could kiss back fervently. They kissed for a long moment, before pulling away. "You look lovely," Scorpius compliment, taking in her bundled up appearance.

Placing a hand over his face, Rose stroked his coarse beard, staring into his grey eyes. "As do you. You always look so handsome in your uniform," she said honestly, blushing when he raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?" Scorpius teased her, and smirked when she nodded, her single sided dimple pressed into her cheek as she smiled shyly. "Well, I better start wearing this more often." Rose laughed, and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, taking in her soothing sweet scent.

Just then the door reopened, and Luciano walked in, smirking when he saw his friend. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to steal him away from you, Rose. We are playing in five minutes." Rose nodded, and stood on her tiptoes to press a short kiss to his addictive lips.

She pulled back from him and smiled as she left, stopping at the door to say, "be safe, good luck."

Once she was gone, Scorpius looked to his mate, and rolled his eyes when he saw the smirk he wore. "Oh, shut up, you're worse with Higgs. Besides, it's time for my speech." And this time it was the blonde who smirked when Luciano groaned dramatically.

* * *

On her way to the stands, Rose peeked her head into the Gryffindor rooms and wished the team good luck. She climbed the tall stairs leading to the exhilarated crowd of students, and found a seat in between Robert and Elliot, amongst her fellow housemates. Looking up to the sky, Rose noticed the dark clouds looming over them with the threat of rain.

"You excited, Rosie," Elliot asked next to her, fully knowing the amount of anxiety games brought her when her loved ones were playing. Rose stayed silent, biting her lip and shaking her head. Elliot sighed, moving his wheel chair closer to her so her could wrap an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, now. You know I am just kidding."

Robert nodding from his place next to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, Rosie, everything will go fine. Albus and Hugo have been playing forever, they know what they are doing. And with any luck, we'll crush those blasted snakes. It's about time someone knocks them off their high horse." The boys shared a look and a high five over Rose's head, smirking competitively.

Rose felt her stomach churn, praying that no harm came to her family, and Scorpius too. Minutes later Colton Creevey's nasally voice rang out around the pitch, grabbing everyone's attention. "Good afternoon residences of Hogwarts. Are we ready for a fierce game?" The crowds cheered out so loudly, it seemed most of Scotland heard them. "We are moments away from the very last Quidditch game of 2023! Today is the day we find out who is playing in the spring finals. Slytherin and Gryffindor are going head to head, let's see if Malfoy can lead his team to yet another victory."

Everyone in the stands looked down and saw the two teams emerging from their opposite tunnels, meeting each other on the massive field. Rose felt her heart speed up when she saw Scorpius, and she nearly melted on the spot when he quickly looked her way and sent her a wink. Albus and Scorpius stepped forward to shake hands, glaring hard at each other.

The game started with a bang, Slytherin scoring a goal in the first minute. Scorpius and the Gryffindor Seeker, Cara Thomas, hovered high in the air, both sets of eyes trained for the little snitch. The entire school held their breath with every move, not a single person lacking complete attention.

Rose held Robert and Elliot's hand, practically breaking them every time a dangerous play occurred. They were a half an hour into the game when Rose's heart practically stopped working. Hugo was rammed hard in the shoulder with a boulder by Cliff Montgomery, throwing him off balance. Rose jumped out of her seat, pushing past people to watch at the edge of the stands, anxiously watching. Aliva Corner, a fellow seventh-year and Ravenclaw, stood from her spot to go and put an arm around Rose, watching with her. The crowds boomed when Hugo managed to pull his broom up moments before he smashed into the ground, smiling and shouting

The skies opened up and poured rain down on the field half way through the game, only making the experience more enticing for everyone. Scorpius felt his adrenaline speed up with every crack of lightning mere miles above him in the sky, as he squinted through the rain. He pushed his soaked hair out of his face, his gloved hands gripping his wet broom tightly. The grey clouds caused a fog to fill the air, blurring his vision, the one thing he needed the most. His senses were on edge, his hearing blocking out the crowds and listening for the little buzz of the snitch.

Scorpius held his breath when he saw Cara Thomas suddenly dive forward, zooming after her not a second later. The crowds yelled to a new extent when Colton announced the snitch had been spotted, everyone paying attention to the two Seekers. Scorpius had almost caught up to Cara when suddenly the little golden ball changed direction, flying straight towards him. The Slytherin pulled his broom around with unbeatable speed, when the snitch buzzed past him, and he flew after it so fast the crowds could hardly keep their eyes on him.

The wild goose chase continued for two painstaking minutes, until finally Scorpius dove forward, almost falling straight off his broom, and caught the little ball. The crowds were deadly silent, waiting for the blonde to make a more, exploding with cheers when he held up his hand in victory. Rose smiled brightly from her spot, feeling butterflies when Scorpius turned and smirked at her before flying down to his victorious team.

* * *

"You were bloody fucking amazing, mate," Luciano shouted through the bathroom door where Scorpius was. The blonde had heard hundreds of similar congratulations that night, everyone pleased with his performance. After a scalding shower, Scorpius stood dressing in the marble room, ignoring his overly animated friend.

When the door to the bath open, a large puff of steam rolled out and disappeared onto the floor. Scorpius grimaced when he saw Luciano casually laid out on his bed, and he threw his wet towel at him. "Get off my bed, you fucker." The Italian man laughed and hopped off of the bed, a wide smile stuck onto his dark features. Scorpius rolled his eyes and walked past Luciano towards the door, but was pulled back when a hand fisted the material of his shirt.

"Not so fast. You get to see your little lassie everyday, I get you tonight. It's only fair." Scorpius glared at his friend, but sighed and nodded, knowing he wouldn't win the argument. Zabini smirked in triumph and threw an arm around the tall man's shoulder, leading him down to the common room where celebratory party was.

The room was practically filled with students, most from Slytherin but a few from other houses too. The air was filled with loud conversations, and the atmosphere was uplifting and cheerful, not something too common for the Slytherin's. When Scorpius was spotted, the entire room cheered for him, yet again. And a slightly buzzed Quinn Nott stood on a table and gave a toast to his best friend.

The night passed slowly for Scorpius, even after a few drinks of Firewhiskey. A number of several different girls approached him throughout the night, all with shortened skirts and low cut shirts. But they were rejected every time, Scorpius getting more annoyed with every pursue. Scorpius watched from his chair in the corner, as night faded into early morning, and more people emptied out of the room.

And as the tired Malfoy climbed into bed that night, he couldn't help but realize how changed he really was. A mere two months ago he would have enjoyed that party immensely, and probably even fooled around with some random girl. But now, now he didn't want any of that. He only want his Rose. And as he thought to himself about how much she had changed him, he couldn't have been more pleased.


	19. Chapter 19

This chapter is a bit longer to make up for yesterday's being on the shorter side. It also contains a lot of fluff, which most of you seem to like. Rose and Scorpius continue to get to know the other on an intimate level, and learn many things about each other. I really hope you all enjoy, and please leave any reviews for me!

* * *

A beautiful smile crept onto Rose's face as she read the letter she had just received from her mother. She was standing out on her bedroom balcony, letting the crisp wind chill her. She was filled with a warm joy as she read the letter a second and third time, missing her mum more than ever it seemed. Walking back into her bedroom, Rose sat herself at her desk, pulling out a crisp sheet of parchment. The girl just let words flow out onto the paper, writing to mum as if she was right there next to her.

When Rose finished the letter, it was three pages long and filled with love. She stood and gave it to the family owl, Dublin. The owl happily took the letter, excepting one last stroke from Rose before he took off, flying into the evening sky. The small girl was shutting and locking her balcony doors when she heard a knock down stairs.

Knowing Dawson wasn't there, Rose rushed her barefeet down to the front door, smiling greatly when she opened it. "You know," Scorpius said casually, leaning against the doorframe looking handsome as ever. "You really should just tell me the password. You don't know how many minutes of my life I have wasted waiting out here." The tall man smiled back at her and walked in when she opened the portrait up for him, inviting him in.

" _Unity_ ," Rose said to him, trusting him completely. The two made their way up to her room without another word needing to be spoken. Shutting the door behind them, Rose went over to her desk and tidied it up, as it would have annoyed her the entire night if she didn't.

Scorpius wandered around the room, going over to the warm fireplace. Looking atop the mantel Scorpius saw a multitude of photographs, noting how some were muggle. They all had various family members, mostly gingers. Scorpius' eyes darkened when he noticed Albus Potter was in most every picture, even though he knew how close him and Rose were. His eyes stopped and widened when he got to a picture with the _entire_ Weasley family in it. "Merlin, how many is there of you," Scorpius said mostly to himself, and nearly jumped when he realized Rose was suddenly next to him.

Laughing, she answered "there's twenty-five of us. But with children and spouses included, it's thirty." Scorpius stared at the short girl, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Rose let out a laugh and shrugged casually, "you get use to it. I mean, I've grow up with all of them, so it seems normal to me. Besides, it's only about once every month that _all_ of us get together at once." Walking over to her bed to get her book, she said, "I'm guessing your family is much smaller."

Scorpius nodded, following her and sitting on the edge of her bed. "It's just me, my parents, and grandparents. Well, and I have my aunt and uncle and three cousins. But it's rare we're all together." Grabbing his hand, Rose led them to the couch, sitting and getting comfortable next to him. He threw his long arm around her shoulder, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. "You have a lot of muggle things," he mused out loud, looking around her room.

Rose nodded against him, tucking her feet under her and innocently resting her hand on his lower thigh. "Well, I grew up in the Muggle world, it only makes sense." When a shocked Scorpius asked her if she really had, she laughed and nodded. "Mhm. When the War was over, my parents were really superstitious, especially my dad. And because my mother grew up with muggles, they decided to raise us there. They wanted to keep me and my brother as far away from magic for as long as they could. I grew up around magic, of course, but only when my family members used it.

"I learned everything the muggle way; cooking, cleaning, simple tasks, that's why I tend to do things the manual way. I went to a Muggle school with the other children, and when I was eleven I switched and came here. I grew up with both the magic and Muggle world, and I am so thankful for that." Scorpius stayed silent, trying to imagine how different his life would be had he grow up with muggles. I wasn't like he had anything against them, he just knew nothing about their culture.

Scorpius looked down at her and saw her staring into the fire, her blue eyes ablaze. "Will you show me one day? What it's like?" Rose looked up at him, hearing the hesitation in his voice.

"You've never been to the Muggle world? Not even visited," she asked, and when she felt him shake his head, she squeezed his thigh reassuringly, unaware as to what she was doing to him. "Of course!" Rose said enthusiastically, thinking of all the things she would love to do with him.

The two stayed silent for a while, simply holding each other, when suddenly Scorpius remembered something. "Oh," he said, out of the blue. "I've got a present for you," Rose smiled when he got up from the couch and pulled a box out of his coat pocket that was thrown on one of the chairs.

"A present? What for," the small girl asked, unsure. Scorpius sat back down on the couch without a word, smiling and tossing her the box wrapped in paper. Rose looked to him and gave him a wary look before her anticipation got the best of her. Tearing open the box, she gasped when she saw what it was. In her lap sat a was a box of DeLafée of Switzerland's chocolates, which she knew was well over a hundred galleons. Rose had only ever tasted a DeLafée once in her life, and it had been one of the most heavenly experiences of her entire existence.

Seeing the impressed and shocked look on her face, Scorpius explained his actions. "I had bought the same box for my grandmother for Christmas. And rumor is your quite the sweets fanatic yourself, so I thought I would get you one too." He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly, and she knew then that she truly was very fortunate.

Rose slowly opened the lid, and her mouth watered when she was immediately hit with the delectably sweet smell. She pulled back the tissue paper, and saw a dozen perfect looking chocolates. Quickly setting the present on the coffee table, Rose launched herself at her boyfriend, squeezing the life out of him with her embrace.

Suddenly having the beautiful girl sitting sideways on his lap, with her hugging him, Scorpius wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and pulled her to him. "Thank you," he shuddered when her words brushed down his neck, her hands stroking his hair. Rose pulled back for a moment to look him in the eyes, her thumb stroking the side of his face. Her other hand pulled his head down to hers, their lips meeting softly somewhere in the middle.

Scorpius rubbed his hands over her waist, overwhelmed by the delicious feel of her against him. Everything about her engulfed him; her addictive scent, her tasty lips, her supple body, her soft touches. They pulled apart after a savior minute, captivated with each other eyes. "Try one," he said to her, nudging his head towards the box.

Smiling like a sneaky child, Rose leaned down and retrieved it, perching herself back in his lap comfortably, her luscious bum resting against his groin. Scorpius watched as she reached for a chocolate, slowly taking it between her pearly teeth. He nearly died when Rose closed her eyes, throwing her head back and letting out a shy moan. Her pink tongue came out to swipe the remains off her lips, indulging herself with every bite.

Her blue eyes were hooded and lazy when they opened again, and she whimpered, "delicious. Wanna try one?" Scorpius shook his head, not one for things too sweet, and leaned forward to steal a kiss from her. When he pulled back he could taste the chocolate on her, and he thought it was the best thing he ever tasted.

After she thanked him several more times, Rose got up from the couch, going to put the box on her desk. Scorpius stretched out once she was gone, groaning when he felt a painful twinge in his back. "Are you alright," Rose asked gently, and he easily heard the genuine concern in her question.

Nodding, he sat up, wincing when the pain shot through his back again. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just got this pain in my back from the game yesterday, I usually get it after them. It's no big deal though, it goes away after a couple of days." Scorpius laughed when he saw the frown on her face, mirroring the one his mother often wore when he was a naughty child.

Rose shook her head, motioning for him to get up, her inner Healer coming out. "You should have gone to Madam Pince, she can give you something to make it go straight away. You shouldn't leave it be." The short girl continued to give him the mother hen speech as she made her way into her bathroom, returning with a vial. "Here, take this please. It's an Altheda's potion, it'll take most the pain away, but I don't have anything on hand that will numb it completely."

Scorpius downed the bright yellow potion like a good patient and she asked how he felt. "Alright," he said. Though Rose, being the skilled Healer she was, could hear the pain in his voice.

"Can I give you a massage?" Her question sounded completely innocent as she said it, but images of very dirty things popped into Scorpius' mind. The tall man swallowed his throat and nodded, not trusting his voice. Rose smiled brightly, running into her bathroom yet again, the light pink dress she wore swaying with her movements. This time she returned with a large brown jar, and she quickly grabbed Scorpius' hand, leading him to her bed.

Pushing off his shoes, Scorpius sat down and stared at her expectantly. "Could I have your shirt off please?" Another perfectly honest question that sent Scorpius reeling. He nodded again and began unbuttoning his black shirt, as Rose set the jar down on the bedside table, lighting the candles around them. When she looked back to him, she let out a gasp, embarrassing herself thoroughly. Rose felt her throat close up, her eyes permanently stuck to his now naked chest.

Scorpius sat still, letting her take him in, thankful for the phenomenal physique he was blessed with. She looked at all the intricate tattoos covering the man in front of her, his pale body was muscular and chiseled like a Greek god, utterly _perfect_ in every aspect. Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest as her eyes trailed down his body and found the small trail of light blonde hair that disappeared into his pants. Every inch of his bare chest looked hard and toned, his body straight out of every girl's fantasy. "Yes- well, you um look... Oh- um okay." Rose's voice squeaked and stuttered when she spoke, and her cheeks burned when Scorpius laughed at her.

"Rose," Scorpius' deep voice said, grabbing her hand and pulling her flush against his upper body. One of her hands instinctively landed on the hard plane of his chest, his hot skin burning against her touch. "It's just a body, you don't need to be frightened." Blushing, Rose nodded and turning to grab the tub of salve.

"You have tattoos," she observed shyly, her wide eyes flickering to the different black ink covering parts of his torso and upper arms. Scorpius nodded, and nearly shuttered when Rose reached out a hand to race her fingers over one of them. "What do they mean?"

"Many things," he replied honestly, "I'll tell you all about them some day." Scorpius laughed when her staring didn't halt, grabbing her hand in his he tugged her forward until she stood in-between his open legs. "You've seen me topless before, you know."

Rose fumbled for a moment, finally regaining her senses. "Yes, but I wasn't paying attention to your nudity, I was paying attention to your injury. Now," she cleared her throat and uncapped the salve. "Could you lay down on your stomach, please." Scorpius took his orders and flopped down on the large bed, wearing nothing but his tan trousers and black socks. The man sighed when he laid his head down in Rose's pillows and was overtaken by the perfect scent of her.

The small girl tried several time to sit on the boy without her dress riding up, but sighed in surrender when she realized it was impossible. Scorpius groaned quietly into the fluffy pillows when he felt the material of Rose's knickers pressing against his bum as she straddled him. She expertly spread the thick lotion between her fingers, warming it up, and smiled when she heard him sigh when she rubbed in over his back. Her fingers felt cool and just the same as to when she first touched and healed him, and Scorpius felt immensely comforted by this.

Her thin fingers worked his back heavenly, applying just enough pressure to all the right places. Rose dug between his muscles, ridding him of all the knots and cramps in his back. She worked hard and miraculously for an hour, and Scorpius nearly dozed off several times, soothed by her touch. Leaning forward, Rose pressed a kiss to the center of his back, smiling as she worked her hands up to his broad shoulders. "Better," her honey voice asked, drawing him out of his trance.

Scorpius moaned and nodded, feeling her leave kisses all over his bare skin. Rose got off of him, though neither of them wanted her to, and allowed him to roll onto his back. She yelped in surprise when Scorpius playfully grabbed her waist and pulled her back onto him. Gently tugging at the back of her neck, he pulled her down to her roughly kissed her. "You're amazing," he growled against her lips, his hands stroking up and down the side of her body.

Rose leaned down and took his lips in hers again, unable to resist. She rubbed one of her hands through his hair, the other holding herself on his chest. Rose ran her tongue over Scorpius' lips and he opened them immediately, allowing her entrance. She explored every inch of his mouth, her tongue fighting with his for power. Their lips massaged each others rhythmically, creating a perfect synch with each other. Scorpius' large hands went to her back, pushing her flat against him, and Rose felt numb when her breasts rubbed deliciously against his hard chest.

Scorpius smirked into the kiss when she instinctively rubbed her supple breasts against him, her nipples becoming hard through her bra. He allowed one of his hands to sneak down and grab her bum, feeling her gasp into his mouth. Rose felt overwhelmed with pleasure as Scorpius palmed her backside, bringing her feelings she had never felt before. Her stomach twisted and a rush of heat went through her, dampening her knickers. Scorpius' manhood hardened when he felt her wet core pushing against his bare stomach, and he ached more than anything to take her right there.

A giggle escape the small girl when she was suddenly flipped on her back, her lover hovering over her. Scorpius kissed her roughly, taking her full bottom lip between his teeth and biting it passionately. Rose moaned quietly at the feeling, her heart beating erratically as he thrilled all he senses perfectly. "You're bloody beautiful," Scorpius whispered into her skin, ripping his mouth from hers.

The skilled pair of lips left remarkable kisses all over her face, traveling down to her smooth neck. Scorpius paused and closed his eyes as he took in her marvelous scent, memorizing her. Rose felt her chest tighten when he pressed the first kiss to her neck, right up against her pulse, as his beard tickled her collarbone. He moved down and did something that complete drove Rose right off the edge.

Scorpius latched his lips onto her, sucking and nipping her. Rose let out a sigh when she felt his teeth against her, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and pulling him closer to her. She had never experienced anything so lustful and passionate, and she wished he would never stop. He bit down hard and drew blood, quickly soothing the mark with his tongue. Scorpius sucked and kissed the spot a couple more times, knowing well it would leave a bruise on her. Good, he thought animalistically to himself, let everyone know she's mine.

When he began kissing his way back up, Rose became impatient and pulled him up, quickly attaching her lips to him, causing him to chuckle against her lips. They stayed like this for a long time, trying to drown themselves in each other. When the clock rang out at midnight, the pair pulled apart panting and hot. Scorpius reached his hand up and stroked his thumb over Rose's swollen lips, feeling a pride in knowing he was the one who did that.

"I need to go." he whispered after some time of silence. Rose nodded her head, but pulled him down to her again, kissing him for several long minutes. "I'll come visit you before we leave tomorrow morning," Scorpius promised, and she nodded again. The next day the entire school would be going home to their families for Christmas break.

The couple slowly got out of her bed, fixing their clothing and getting themselves together again. Rose walked Scorpius downstairs, leaving him with one last kiss goodnight. That night as she laid alone in her bed, Rose restlessly tossed, her body reliving the feel of Scorpius' perfect hands.


	20. Chapter 20

Wow guys, chapter twenty already! I am not going to say anything to let on exactly how long this story is, but let me just say we still are nowhere near done. In this chapter you meet my absolute favorite character, whom I believe deserved more attention in the books, but I probably just think that because I love her so much. Anywho, please please please leave reviews. I have noticed not many of you have been commenting lately, and I am wondering if that is because you are no longer interested… please leave me any feedback. Thanks!

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A tired sigh escaped her lips as she latched shut her trunk, excitement filling her with every second that passed. Rose grunted when she picked up her hefty luggage, almost crumbling under its weight, the thought of levitating it out of far off. Her skinny arms shook as she dragged it down the stairs, as she blew a strand of irritating hair out of her eyes. When she finally arrived in her common room Rose grunted and gladly dropped it, smiling when she heard a knock. Running a hand through her hair to straighten it out, she rushed to the door and flung it open.

Scorpius smiled at Rose when she appeared but quickly worried as he watched a frown appear on her face. "What's wrong," he asked, inviting himself in. The tall man placed two fingers under her chin and lifted it, her eyes meeting his.

"Nothing," Rose said, closing her eyes when his hands came up to cup her face. "Only, I've just realized that I won't see you for another twelve days." Scorpius watched her delicious lips form a pout, looking sad and adorable all at once. "I'll miss you," she said, hoping she didn't sound too clingy.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he smiled at her, stroking her smooth skin with the pad of his thumb. "I know and I'll miss you too, but it will go by fast. Trust me." Rose nodded, and took a step forward to embrace him. Scorpius placed his hands on her back, her soft hair tickling his fingers, and Rose leaned her head on his chest. "Can I owl you," she felt the rumbles of his voice coming from his chest as he asked her his question, and she nodded into him.

Without a word, Rose went to the table and scribbled something down on a piece of parchment. When she went back to him, she held out the slip of paper, allowing him to take it from her and read it. "You'll need that to send me anything. My home has so many protective spells and wards around it, owls can't find it unless they are looking for it. So, just tell your owl the exact address, and it will work."

Scorpius pocketed the paper, careful as not to lose it. He then stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Rose and pulling her so she was flat against him. She reached her arms up and lifted them around his neck, smiling at the feeling of Scorpius rubbing soothing circles into her waist. They stared into each other's eyes until neither of them could handle it. Rose used her grip on his neck to pull Scorpius down, his lips finding hers in a scorching kiss. The kiss was soft and yet passionate, all of their emotions seeping out with it.

The two held the embrace for several glorious minutes, kissing each other like it was their last time. Neither of them wanted to stop, but they both knew they needed to if they didn't want to miss the train home. Scorpius was reluctant to go, leaving several more short kisses on her lips. "Happy Christmas, Rose." He whispered to her before he exited, leaving her in a gay mess.

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"How long do you think it would take for me to die if I laid out in the snow, completely naked?" The curious question came from the curious boy staring out of an icy window, watching snow pile higher outside.

Without looking up from her book, Rose answered, "no more than four hours." Hugo nodded, looking impressed as he went and plopped down on the couch next to his sister, placing his lanky arm around her shoulders. Both Ron and Hermione looked over at their children, matching looks of distress and appall on their faces.

"What in the bloody hell," Ron's gruff voiced asked, gaining both Rose and Hugo's attention. Rose giggled when she saw her parents faces, hiding her own behind her book.

Hugo simply shrugged, reaching forward to steal a crisp from the bowl in his sister's lap. "Dunno, I was just wondering. Besides, that's some useful information to have," the simple boy said with his mouth full, spitting crumbs out. Rose grimaced and elbowed him in the ribs, reprimanding him on his eating habits. Just then the doorbell rang through the large home, causing Chauncey to leap from his spot beside Rose and jog to the door, huffing out barks.

Ron lifted a ginger eyebrow, as he and Hermione shared an inquizitive look. The tall older man raised from his chair, going to answer the door. Seconds later the three heard a familiar strident voice, which was apparently arguing with Ron. "Well, I'm sorry Uncle Ron, but you'll just have to suffice without her for a couple of hours. This is a very important, she has to look perfect, and I won't allow you or anyone else to stop me from making that happen." The voice got louder until a tiffed looking Ron appeared in the room with their company.

"Auntie Hermione," Dominique Weasley half shouted as she ran forward to the older woman. Hermione stood just in time to receive a tight hug from her niece. "How are you," the spirited ginger asked.

Hermione smiled kindly at the tall girl, who seemed more like her father everyday. "I'm well, thank you, Dominique. I heard you're coming to steal my daughter." Dominique smile and nodded as she turned to her cousins.

She walked over and quickly snatched Rose's book out of her hand, carelessly tossing it on the coffee table, loosing her page. "Hey Posey, you ready," the excited witch asked, reaching over to mess Hugo's hair, knowing how much it irked him. "Gwyneth said I can only keep the shop open late until eleven, and I don't wanna run out of time."

The small girl nodded, and Dominique quickly ushered her to the fireplace, shoving the pot of floo powder at her. "Don't worry, Uncle Ron, she's safe with me. I'll have her home before midnight," she said with a wink, laughing as she stepped into the fireplace too. And they were gone with a shout.

Rose gasped when she landed, tripping over her own feet and falling flat on her face. She heard Dominique laugh behind her, grabbing her hand and helping her up easily, "still not use to your own feet?" Looking around the shop, Rose found that all of it had been closed up for the night, save for the back where alterations happened. "Follow me, little one," Dominique said gayly.

The older girl had set up one of the rooms, and Rose's interest peaked when she saw a long clothing bag. When Dominique saw Rose go for it, she quickly stopped her. "Ah, hold on. I'll give you the grand reveal. Go stand on your pedestal, if you will." The brunette smiled at her cousin's dramatic ways, standing on the lifted platform and covering her eyes. Rose heard the bag being unzipped and smiled when Dominique said, "open!"

A gasp escaped the younger girl as she saw the beautiful dress for the first time. "Dominique, this is phenomenal! You're simply amazing, you are." The other girl smiled proudly, holding up her work of art.

"Thank you, thank you. But enough talking, let's get this bad boy on, I have loads of work to do." Dominique motioned for Rose to strip as she placed the dress on the sewing table. The shy girl blushed deeply, but followed orders, removing her clothes until she stood in only her matching knickers. Rose was thankful when her cousin didn't make any remarks on her body, not knowing if she could stand to hear another.

Dominique, an aspiring clothes designer, was ecstatic when Rose came to her months earlier asking for her help. Every year since the war Hogwarts held a ball, but this year it was different, it marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the war. Rose, as Head Girl, was expected to have the first dance of the night with the Head Boy, and ultimately represent her House. The ball was held on the twenty-second of December, two days away.

As she stood there in her stunning gown, Rose couldn't help but feel utterly beautiful. The dress was unique, but completely eye catching and breathtaking. The midnight blue material of her dress was silky, floating everytime she moved. The gown was perfect for her, fitting all the right places. The top of it was off the shoulder, with long sleek sleeves. And the bodice hugged her tightly until it got the her waist where it dropped smoothly and pooled around her feet. But the best thing about the dress was the flecks of sparkles hiding in the material, winking like stars when they got the right lighting.

"You look remarkable, Posey." Dominique commented, smiling genuinely. She then got to work; poking, pinning, stabbing, and measuring, until she got it right. Several different times the older girl irritably remarked how Rose's breasts seemed to never stop growing. Two hours later, Rose's legs were aching and her eyes were drooping. "There," Dominique shouted, stepping back to look at her final masterpiece. "Perfect."

A tired Rose looked in the mirror, and saw that the dress now was tailored impeccably to her, if possible looking more exceptional. Dominique came to stand behind Rose, her height leveling her with the heightened girl. "You'll be the belle of the ball," she said kindly, staring in the mirror over the brunettes shoulder. And for once, Rose prayed she was wrong.

* * *

The next morning, an hour or so after breakfast, Rose rushed down the front staircase, searching for her mother. The eager girl bounced around the home, quickly finding her in the kitchen. The room smelt of smoke and Rose held back a laugh when she saw mother holding a tin of extraordinarily burnt muffins. "Again," Hermione sighed, chucking the hot tin on the counter.

"Mum?" Rose grabbed her mother attention, biting back her smile. "Could I go to Andromeda's for a little bit? She told me I could stop by when I was home." The younger girl saw the apprehensive look on her mother's face, and quickly spoke up. "Pretty please," Rose walked forward and hugged her mother's middle, squeezing her as she plead into her chest.

Hermione sighed, stroking her daughter's hair as she pulled back. "Oh, alright. But not for too long, I don't want you invading her personal space. And bring her some of the cookies you made last night." Rose smiled, thanking and promising her mother she would be back soon, as she quickly packed a few treats and disappeared from the room. She rushed to the living room, stepping into the fireplace, yelling, "Tonks Home."

Rose's stomach dropped as she zoomed through the tunnels at a high speed, feeling as if she was flying through empty space. She quickly made it to her destination, managing to land on her feet by some miracle. The girl was allowed through a protective wards, having been there many times before, and stepped into the library of the home. Rose patiently waited for friend, brushing soot off the lilac dress she wore and repaired the tear she got in her thin black tights.

The double doors to the crowded room were pulled opened, and Andromeda Tonks stood in front of her, bearing a loving smile. The older woman had soft greying brown hair, and gentle brown eyes, though her beauty was still as enchanting as ever. "Rosie, come in. How are you, my darling." The girl walked forward, embracing the women who felt like a grandmother to her. Her familiar floral scent encased Rose, unconsciously calming her. "Oh, look at you. You get more divine every time we meet." The kind woman complimented, endearingly brushing her hand over the young girl's hair.

Andromeda chuckled when Rose blushed, leading her into the kitchen where they sat at the small table. "I brought you some cookies, they're your favorite." Rose opened up the tupperware and set it on the table, smiling when Andromeda gasped in excitement.

"Chocolate chip," the older women asked, and laughed when Rose nodded happily. "Thank you, dear. You truly spoil me." Andromeda grabbed a cookie, knowing Rose Weasley made some of the best desserts ever, and was pure genius in the kitchen.

"How have you been," Rose asked as the older women went to put a kettle of tea on the stove, preferring to do make the muggle way, a habit she picked up from her late husband.

"Oh, as good as I can be. Harry comes to visit me every week, and Teddy usually stops by with the girls a couple times a month. I do love it when I get visitors, this old house gets lonely. But enough about me, tell me how you are, darling." Andromeda sat gracefully in a chair, her posture perfect and her composure even better.

Rose smiled at her company, the dimple on her cheek only adding to her charm. "I'm fine. School is going swell, and I am taking my test at the beginning of next month." Andromeda stood when the teapot screamed, pouring two cups and setting them on the table. Rose helped her, grabbing the milk and sugar from the spot she knew they were. "I'm nervous for the ball tomorrow though, the Head Boy and I are required to perform the first dance. We have been practicing for weeks, but you know me and my two left feet."

As she stirred her tea, Andromeda brought up a hand and rested it upon Rose's. "I certainly do… I think you are the only person I have ever met that was as clumsy as my Nymphadora. But you will be fine, I promise you."

Sitting back in her chair, the older women had a happy look fill her eyes, her hands clasping in her lap. "I remember how dreadfully anxious I was over my first wedding dance with Ted. I, of course, had years of ballroom training under my belt, but that didn't stop me from worrying. Looking back now, it was Ted who I should have been panicked for, he was a frightful dancer, you see." Rose laughed and Andromeda smiled at the happy memories. "It went perfectly fine, as I should have known it would. All my worries went away as soon as I was on the floor with my new husband."

"It sounds lovely," Rose said tenderly, knowing just how much her old friend missed her husband. Both of the women sipped their tea, and Rose was sure Andromeda always made it the best.

The elegant woman nodded and leaned forward on the table, a mischievous look in her brown eyes. "It was. Now tell me, is there anyone special in your life right now?" When Rose blushed and looked away, she pressed on. "Come on, humor an old lady."

The auburn haired girl couldn't stop the smile that overcame her as she grabbed a strand of hair and began twisting it around. "Well," she dragged on teasingly, and laughed when Andromeda gave her a stern look. "Okay, there is this wizard that I've been seeing for a little bit now." And suddenly the gates bursted open, and Rose said everything she had been dying to say to someone for weeks. "And, oh Andromeda, he's just so perfect. He's kind, and giving, and gentle, and sweet, and he's so very handsome. And everytime I see him my heart just melts, and my head gets dizzy whenever he touches me. And he's just the best, and I think about him all the time, I can't get him out of my head."

Andromeda smiled when she broke through, thrilled her false granddaughter had found someone. "Does he go to school with you?" And when Rose nodded, she asked, "what House is he in?"

The pink blushed returned as Rose's eyes wandered the room, mumbling, "Slytherin."

An amused laugh escaped the older witch as she sat back in her chair, a twinkle in her eyes. "Ah, the very best House, if you were to ask me." The younger girl smiled at the woman who once belonged to the same House. "What's his name?" When Andromeda noticed Rose was clearly uncomfortable, she calmed her. "No, no, that's alright. You don't have to tell me."

Rose visibly relaxed, caught completely off guard when she heard her company's next question. "But, you _do_ have to tell me if he is the one that gave you that scandalous mark on your neck."

The small girl instantly panicked, her small hand going up to the spot where the delicious bruise was. Rose realized the glamour spell she put on it must have faded, and was _exceedingly_ glad that it was Andromeda who caught it, and not her parents. "Please don't tell anyone," the nervous girl stuttered, silently and wandlessly placing magic over the bruise to hide it again.

"Not to worry, dear. I have no intentions of telling your father and having him lock you up in a tower; I would miss you far too much." Andromeda winked, and Rose thanked her. "Now, tell me more about this mysterious, handsome Slytherin."

The two witches sat at that table for hours, talking about everything under the sun. And when Rose left later that day, she couldn't believe how incredible it felt to tell someone about _him_.


	21. Chapter 21

Hello all! Many of you have showed lots of excitement about this chapter, and I do hope it lives up to your expectations; I worked, edited, and changed this one like crazy trying to get it just how I wanted it to be. Enjoy…

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The delicate girl stood on shaky legs, praying they would hold her the whole night through. The material of her stunning dress sighed as she moved, pressing against her soft skin. Rose walked up to her mirror, running her hands over the front of her gown for the millionth time, straighten out wrinkles that weren't there. Her mum and Aunt Ginny had left some time ago, having come back to school with her to help her get ready. The small girl paced her dorm, waiting for Dawson to come and collect her, so they could make their grand entrance.

Checking the clock on the wall, Rose saw that the ball had officially started ten minutes ago, and they were just waiting for McGonagall's patrons to come along. The Ravenclaw had just saved herself from tripping, when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. Rose took a deep breath before walking over and opening it, her hands sweating and her mouth dry. Dawson was suddenly standing before her, hiding his nerves much better than she was. "Rose," the tall, dark haired man said, shocked by the mesmerizing girl in front of him. "You look phenomenal," he said, bringing his dark eyes up to her pretty blue ones, making her blush.

"Thank you, Dawson. You look rather handsome yourself." The man bit his tongue as he felt his ears heat up, fiddling his hand inside his pocket. "Well," Rose said, checking to make sure she had her wand one last time, "shall we go?" Dawson nodded, moving to extend his arm out for her, causing her to smile as she took it.

The Heads made there way through the dark castle, hearing the loud music when they were still corridors away from the ball. They arrived at the Great Hall shortly, and a young boy was waiting for them, looking extremely bored as he inspected his cuticles. The boy quickly disappeared moments later, going to tell the Headmistress they were ready. Rose felt her stomach twist, as panicked settled inside of her. "I'm scared," Rose whispered, squeezing Dawson's arm, grabbing his attention.

He placed his cold hand on top of hers, giving her a calming look. "You'll be fine. I won't let you fall," Rose nodded, taking deeps breaths. She wished more than anything that Scorpius was there, to hold her and whisper reassuring words. The petite girl let out a little squeak when a booming voice rang from inside, introducing them, as clapping and applauding began. Dawson leaned down and whispered in her ear, "don't worry."

As Rose looked to him with a smile, Dawson felt his heart stutter. And he _knew,_ he just knew he had to tell her. Starting again, he grabbed her attention and spoke in a voice only just higher than his normal, "Rose, I have to tell you some-" But the wizard was cut off as seconds later the tall wood doors to the room opened, and the flood of bright lights shined down on them.

Forgetting his words, Dawson gently pulled Rose forward when she didn't move, waking her from her nervous trance. Both of them smiled kindly as they entered, hundreds and hundreds of people watching them, smiling at the handsome couple. They made it through the plethora of witches and wizards of all ages, landing in the middle of the large dance floor.

Rose could _feel_ all of the eyes watching her, and she sent one last prayer up to the heavens, begging she wouldn't trip. "Ladies and gentlemen, Dawson Pucey and Rose Weasley will now perform the first dance of the 2023 Annual Hogwarts Ball, and the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration." Music filled the hall, the same song Rose and Dawson had practiced to dozens of times.

With her hand on his shoulder, his on her waist, and both of theirs clasped together, they started the slow ballroom tango they had perfected. The couple swayed around the dance floor, elegantly hitting every step in their dance. The crowds were silently, captivated by the attractive couple, skillfully wrapped up in each other. Applause were heard all throughout every time Dawson effortlessly lifted her high in the air, both of their dancing skills impeccable. She gripped onto him tightly when she almost stumbled a couple times, but he held her up like a rock.

The song ended in a graceful bow, clapping and shouts of support ringing in their ears immediately. Rose smiled and waved to several familiar faces as she made her way back through the crowd to look for her family, a number of people stopping her to tell her how amazing she looked. "Rosie," the girl was relieved to see it was her cousin Louis who shouted, pushing against people to get to her. Rose smiled at the redheaded boy when he finally got to her, grabbing her hand and hugging her immediately. "Come on," he said, pulling her to where their family tables were.

"You found her," Harry yelled happily when they arrived, getting up from his spot to go and hug Rose. "You look beautiful, Rosie," the man whispered to her, pushing his old glasses up his nose as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Her Uncle Harry moved to pull her chair out for her, sitting her in between her dad and Albus, the two protectors. At her table was the Potter-Weasley clan, along with the Weasley-Granger. And her whole family congratulated her on her successful dance, telling her how pretty she looked.

A half an hour later, Headmistress McGonagall got up on the stage, giving her annual speech. Everyone applauded when Harry, Hermione, and Ron were spoken of, being thanked for the huge impact they had on the war all those years ago. They were heroes in everyone's eyes.

The rest night went by flawlessly; the food was delicious, the drinks were cold, the band was amazing, and everyone was getting along in harmony. Everyone was talking merrily as they ate their desserts, happy to be in each other's company. But as Rose was enjoying her, and almost all of Albus' cake, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Most of the table quieted down when someone cleared their throat, Rose turning in her seat to see who it was.

Ash Macmillan, a seventh-year Hufflepuff, stood tall behide the Head Girl's chair. The small girl greeted her fellow classmate sweetly, and he blushed horribly when he began to speak to her. "Um, Rose. I was wondering if I, well I mean- if you would like to dance with me?" The boy stuttered as he spoke, feeling nervous as all five of the men at her table stared him down.

"Actually," Albus quickly cut Rose off, turning in his seat to face the boy and give him an intimidating look. "She's pretty busy right now, Macmillan. Thanks for asking though." Ash nodded, swiftly walking away, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

Rose looked to her cousin, a look of disapproval on her face. "Albus Severus! That was extraordinarily rude of you, he didn't deserve that. You should have let me speak for myself, I am perfectly capable. You know, I have half the mind to find him and dance with him just in spite of you." The girl crossed her arms over her chest, sitting back into her chair with a pout on her face. Her crossness only heightened when her dad and Albus high fived behind her, the boy's godfather stating his approval. Lucky someone turned up and saved the day, just as Rose was about to rebuke her family again.

Teddy Lupin cleared his throat in a similar way to Ash, his hands politely behind his back. "Hope I won't get turned down like that poor lad," Rose shook her head, standing before her cousin or father could say anything. "Will you dance with me," the sandy haired boy asked, laughing when Rose eagerly grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor.

The two swayed in time with the slow melody, and seemed like the perfect dancing pair, as Teddy didn't tower over her like most everyone did. "They're awful," Rose sighed, leaning her forehead on his shoulder. She felt the vibrations of his laugh go through his chest, the noise was calming and warm. Rose and Teddy, though they were nine years apart, had always been very close. They were both the quieter kids of the family, and the only two non-Gryffindors of the Weasley clan.

"Oh, come on, Rosie. They aren't that bad." Teddy said in his fatherly voice, spinning her in circles as they danced. "They just want to protect you, they love you more than you can believe."

Rose nodded, knowing he was right, feeling guilty for the way she treated them. "I know, it's just they think I can't do anything. They think it's their job to constantly watch over me, and it's not. They have to trust that I can take care of myself, sometimes." Teddy nodded silently in agreement, and the two danced with each other for several more songs, aware of the angry eyes watching them from afar.

As they parted Teddy kissed her cheek, smiling and returning to his loving wife and daughters. When Rose made her way back to her table, she saw Lily dreamily staring at someone, and instantly knew who it was. The sneaky Ravenclaw smiled when she arrived, saying, "Lily, would you come to the bathroom with me?" The redhead snapped out of her daydream, standing and nodding. As they left James muttered something about girls and their odd bathroom rituals.

When Rose turned and stopped at the drinks table, rather than going to the loo, Lily became suspicious. "Rosie, what are you doing?"

"I saw you staring at Patrick," Rose admitted, smiling and giggling when Lily looked appalled and blushed. "Don't worry, no one else saw. And I won't say anything, but I'm requiring that you go over there at least talk to him." Lily began to protest, and Rose stepped forward to grab her hands. "Oh, please, Lily. I'm sure he would be thrilled to see you, you look absolutely amazing!"

The younger girl's eyes darted back and forth, her mind racing. "Oh, alright. But if everything goes wrong, I'm giving you all the blame." Rose laughed and agreed, smiling and giving her cousin a small shove in his direction. The auburn haired witch grinned as she watched Lily go, feeling thrilled as Patrick smiled at Lily when she arrived. Rose observed for several more minutes, seeing the two of them hit it off incredibly.

Taking her chance, Rose snuck away from the crowded ball, escaping to peace of the empty corridors. Her dark blue gown swayed with the cool breeze that blew in the open halls, her feet leading her to the courtyard. The small girl looked at all the lovely festive decorations, the flickering candles that hovered high above giving the space a warm glow. Rose went over to a bench, wandlessly brushing the snow off of it and warming the seat.

She sighed when she was finally alone, far enough away where the loud buzz of the hall didn't reach her. Rose looked to the sky, contently watching the stars blink, connecting and naming them in her head. She sat there for a long time, happy she was able to get away from the overbearing people for just a moment. Rose was about to go back when she heard the crunch of snow come from behind her, gasping as she stood and whipped around.

Standing ten feet away from her was Scorpius, looking devilishly handsome in a sharp black tuxedo that was tailored just right. A bright beam broke out on her face, as she ran towards her boyfriend, throwing her arms around him. "Scorpius," Rose whispered when she was safe in his embrace, his warm body easily bring back some of the heat she had lost while sitting outside. She pulled back after a minute, reaching her hand up to stroke the side of his face. "I didn't know you would be here."

Scorpius smiled at her, grabbing her hand in his and bringing it to his mouth to kiss. "Neither did I," his deep voice admitted, as his eyes took her in for the dozenth time that evening. He thought she looked like a brilliant angel, her dress made perfectly for her, and her face glowing with happiness. "You look exquisite, Rosie." Scorpius grinned at the tell tale blush that tinted her cheeks, loving how she was an open book to him. The girl, however, was put off when she noticed how her wizard suddenly frowned to him. When he next spoke his voice was deep and dark, "who was that man you were dancing with earlier? With the sandy hair."

Rose's brows furrowed as she thought, she had danced with many people... But she smiled hugely when she knew who Scorpius had been talking about, which apparently was the wrong thing to do, as he took her smile as an expression of admiration for the gentleman. His eyes quickly darkened and his hands tightened at their hold on her waist, clearly displaying his disapproval to Rose. "Oh, no! It's not what you think," Rose quickly reassured, not wishing for him to be upset with her. "That was my cousin of sorts, Teddy Lupin. I've known him since I was a baby; he's like a brother to me."

"Oh," was all Scorpius said, not use to being wrong. He suddenly felt guilty for not trusting Rose, and foolish for the jealousy and anger he held inside since he saw her smiling and dancing intimately with the lad. The rational part in the back of his brain had told him he could trust her, and he should have listened to it. Scorpius knew he could trust his little Rose.

The witch gave him a grin when he spoke, hugging his middle with her eyes wide and sparkling, wishing to put the quarrel behind them. And though he didn't say it out loud, Rose knew it was his version of an apology, and it was good enough for her. Scorpius frowned when he noticed her shivering slightly against him as he held her, and was disappointed with himself for not noticing how cold she must be. "Come on inside, you're freezing," he said in a stern voice, though she could hear the kindness in it.

They went to an empty corridor, the heat of the castle warming her up immediately. "I've missed you already," Rose admitted, her eyes down casted to the stone floor. Scorpius lifted her chin so she looked at him, her blue eyes filled with many different emotions.

"I missed you too," he said, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Scorpius moved hand into her silky hair, his fingers tangling themselves in it. Rose gasped when his lips were suddenly on hers, tenderly kissing her for every minute he had missed her. She brought her hands up to rest on his broad chest, his brawny body pressed against her dainty one. Rose moaned shyly when Scorpius let one of his large hands slide down the silky material of his dress, pressing against her lower back.

Scorpius smiled into the kiss when she snuck one of her hands under his coat, pressing it against his beating heart. Rose could hardly contain all of her emotions, her head spinning with passion. The wizard swallowed the delicious whimper Rose let out when his touch snuck even further down to her bum, as his large hand spread over the full globe and squeezed it gently. The girl was practically a puddle on the floor as she felt him grope and palm her backside, as she grabbed his tie and used it to pull him closer. The two pulled apart some time later, and Scorpius laughed when he saw she looked thoroughly snogged; her swollen lips, her mussed hair, her wrinkled dress. "Though I entirely don't wish to, I should get you back, you left quite some times ago. We don't want someone to come looking for you."

Rose nodded in agreement, and smiled when Scorpius reached out to fix her hair and straighten her dress. The two walked slowly as they made their way back, neither one of them wanting to part with each other. As they were walking Scorpius spoke up, "how was Dawson?" Confused by his inquiry, Rose furrowed her brows and tilted her head, asking him what he meant as she hadn't a clue. "Was he-" but Scorpius' words faded off as he shook his head and smiled at her reassuringly after letting out a sigh. And though she thought it was highly strange, Rose let it go and smiled back at him, just happy to see her wizard.

When they were a hallway away from the ball, they stopped and Rose leaned forward to press a kiss to Scorpius' cheek, inhaling his spicy scent. "Goodnight," she whispered to him, smiling sweetly before disappearing. Scorpius watched her walk away, vanishing through the doors to the Great Hall. After a moment the tall man sighed, running a hand through his hair as he made his way inside too.

Little did either of them know, a set of eyes had caught the entire scene and was now more than intrigued.


	22. Chapter 22

Hi again, I'm glad most of you seemed to enjoy the ball! Someone asked what I meant when I said I changed a lot in that chapter; and by that I only meant that I had gone back and edited it dozens of times, and added in many things as I wrote the story months ago. It was a hard one to write simply because I wanted to put so much in it and had so many ideas for it.

Anyways, here is the next chapter. You get to see a bit more into Scorpius' home life, and indulge in my _favorite_ family! And as for who saw them in the previous chapter… you'll find out soon.

* * *

A comfortable silence filled the expansive room, the only sounds coming from the silverware on the plates. A small House Elf stood patiently in the corner, dressed in the finest of materials, waiting for further requests from his masters. Clearing her throat politely, Astoria wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, smiling at her son from across the table. "Scorpius, dear, I am going shopping with your Aunt Daphne this afternoon, but I will be back for dinner. And your father is in his office, as he will most likely will be for a while. He had a bit of a mix up at work and is up to his neck in paperwork." The blonde man looked up from his lunch, nodding at his mother. He was well aware of his father's situation, as he had been when Draco cursed loudly as he received a letter from work that morning at breakfast and excused himself in an angry blur.

The two of them left the table a short time later, and Scorpius walked Astoria to the front room. Grabbing her coat from a House Elf, he helped his mother into it, allowing her to peck him on his forehead and stroke his cheek fleetingly. "Have fun," Scorpius said as she approached the large marble fireplace.

The pretty brunette women smiled dearly at her son, and it was unquestionable that she loved him with everything she had. "Thank you, darling. I will see you soon." Astoria grabbed a gloved hand full of powder, stepping in and shouting, "Pucey Manor." Scorpius watched his mother disappear in a burst of flames, spinning on his heel as he started the long trek back to his wing of the manor.

Scorpius was shocked when he entered his room and saw a huge parcel sitting on the center of his bed, looking innocent and very intriguing. Unable to control his curiosity, he walked to it, sitting down as he pulled the letter that was tied to the package. A small grin was on his face when he noticed the familiar handwriting.

 _Dear Scorpius,_

 _I do hope you don't mind me sending something to you, I simply couldn't resist. In this box you will find a muggle object, something that I thought you simply_ must _have. What I have sent you is called a record player, a very old machine that muggles use to listen to music. I thought you would enjoy this much more than I do. I have also sent you several different records, which are disks of music you place on the machine, and will play selected songs for you. Inside I put a list of instructions for you. I know it might seem quite confusing right now, but I promise it's not. Anyways, I hope you enjoy my gift for you. I miss you and can't wait to see you. -Rose._

Smiling at the note, Scorpius tore up the package like a child on Christmas morning. The over excited man placed the heavy boxed machine on his bed, pulling out the large enveloped disks with it. After reading over the particularly in depth set of instructions, Scorpius tried the machine out; picking up a disk titled ' _The Beatles'_ and setting it on the machine, turning it on. Though he was expecting music to play, Scorpius couldn't help but jump back when cords of instruments began sounding from it. He listened on as different voices played from it, sounding as if a tiny band of people were trapped inside of it.

Scorpius listed to it play for, what seemed like hours; listening to each song on every record Rose had sent him, appreciating the different music. Laying on his stomach, Scorpius watched the disk spin round and round, tapping his foot to the beat of each track. Once he was done with all of them he had a newfound respect for Muggle music, and he had decided that his favorite was _Pink Floyd_ or _Elton John_. When Scorpius listened to the song called 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton, it instantly made him think of Rose.

By the time Scorpius emerged from his realm of music, the winter sky was setting and the clock on his wall showed it was half past three. He carefully picked up his new beloved record player, safely placing it on his desk, proudly showcasing it. Scorpius felt different, happier. And he wished more than anything he had his little Rose with him to thank her for the marvelous present.

A huge lopsided grin was on Scorpius' lips as he left his room, absentmindedly wondering his home. He felt a sort of high as he replayed the fascinating songs over in his head, filling him with lightheartedness. His shiny Italian leather shoes tapped as he walked down the empty halls, his feet leading him and not his mind. Scorpius was surprised when he found himself standing in front of his father's office, not knowing why he went there.

Ignoring the voice in his head, he raised his fist and knocked on the doors, still unsure as to what he was doing. "Come in," Scorpius heard his father's gruff voice through the thick door, and he pushed them open as he entered. The tall man was surprised when he saw not only his father in the room, but also his godfather, Gregory Goyle.

"Ah, Scorpius, just in time. Glad you caught me before I left," the man said, grinning as he made his way over towards the younger wizard. The two men hugged briefly, roughly smacking each others backs. "Come and sit for a minute. Tell me, how have you been?" Scorpius went and took a seat near the warm fireplace, sitting with the two old friends.

Draco glared at Gregory as he handed his son a glass of whiskey, winking and laughing as he did so. Scorpius easily downed some of the drink, impressing the two men when he didn't flinch as the fiery liquid burned down his throat. "I've been grand. Schools going fine, Quidditch is going even better."

"Good, good, that's good. Tell me, have you got a witch in your life?" Scorpius became defensive for a moment, his face hardening and his eyes flashing colors for a split second. Though when he saw his godfather was merely being noisy, he relaxed, unaware his father caught his brief moment of weakness.

Chugging another large sip of whiskey down, Scorpius shook his head, feeling the blazing drink settle in his stomach. "No, I'm afraid not." He lied impeccably, it was convincing enough to fool the Devil himself.

The brunette wizard gave him a hard look then laughed, mostly to himself. "Ah, well that's certainly a shame. Though I'm sure you'll find a little lady soon enough, with your father's never failing charm, and all." Draco gave him another dirty look, which ended in them both sharing a laugh. "Well," Gregory said, standing from his chair and grabbing his paperwork from off Draco's desk. "I should be on my way. I'll see the both of you soon." Draco felt a semi guilty feeling settle into him, knowing his friend had no wife or children to go home to.

The father and son bid the family friend a goodbye, sipping their liquor as he disappeared from before their eyes. Without a word, Draco rose from his seat and went to sit at his desk, signing and filing various papers. Scorpius wordlessly followed a minute later, sitting in the comfortable leather chair in front of his father's desk.

The room was silent for some time, the only noise to be heard was Draco's quill scraping against parchment. The younger man's mind was racing, though he was sure it was a horrid idea, he felt he need to get something out in the open. "Father," Scorpius called out after a while, and his father hummed back, not bothering to remove his eyes from the papers. "I need to talk to you about something." This got Draco's attention, and his grey eyes met his son's as he dropped his quill, sitting back in his chair. Suddenly, Scorpius regret his decision.

Scorpius' steel eyes stared into his father's, no words coming out of his mouth for a long time. "Son," the old blonde said, leaning forward with a look of concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?" This question seemed to snap Scorpius into reality.

"I need to tell you something," he repeated himself, but Draco remained patient and relaxed. "I'm seeing someone. And I thought I should tell you, because I don't think you'll agree with my decision." Scorpius let out a deep breath once he was done, praying the worst wouldn't come.

"Is this the girl you were with last night?" The older man asked the question calmly, and his son's eyes shot up from his lap, looking at him questioningly. "Your mother had requested I go find you, to introduce you to someone, and I saw you out in the corridor." Ignoring his panic, Scorpius nodded slowly, his eyes locked with his father's. The room went quiet again, and this time the only thing heard was the clock above the mantle. "What's her name?"

The younger wizard felt a strange sense that he was doing something very good in telling his father. Taking a deep breath, Scorpius closed his eyes and his deep voice said, "Rose Weasley." Draco was silent as he raised a golden eyebrow, his breathing deep, his chest falling up and down.

"I see," the aristocrat said slowly, observing his son carefully. "And you care deeply for her? You believe this is serious?" Scorpius nodded again, his hands fidgeting in his lap, having picked up the habit from his girlfriend. "I should have seen this one coming," Draco laughed, surprising his son. "Well, if you care about her, that's fine. I'm not going to do anything to get in the way of your happiness, no matter who she may be."

Scorpius didn't react for a full moment, trying to decipher if his father was tricking him. "You're alright with this? I mean, you hate-"

"The past is in the past, and that is where it will remain, Scorpius. I don't care who her family is, I fully trust your judgment." Scorpius couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his face as he heard his father's supportive words. When Draco saw the foolish smile his son wore, he knew he truly cared for the girl. "I had a feeling this would happen," his father said, bending down to reach into one of his desk drawers, grabbing his interest.

Sitting up again, Draco placed a black velvet box on his desk, sliding it over to his son. "Is this…" Scorpius asked slowly, though his father said nothing as he reached forward to grab the box and open it. The inside sparkled as the light caught it, and a beautiful diamond tennis bracelet was revealed. The younger man carefully picked up the stunning piece of jewelry, and saw the word ' _Malfoy'_ was carved on the inside of the platinum band. The bracelet felt cool to the touch, and Scorpius would swear that he felt a pulse of magic go through him as held it.

Scorpius had heard about the bracelet before, all traditional Pureblood families had variations of it. The bracelet was to be given to a witch with the intent of marriage, sort of as a pre-engagement; a promise of courtship. "Father, this is-"

Again, Draco cut off his son, knowing him well enough to tell what he was thinking. "This is just a gift, it means nothing more than what it looks like. But, I want you to have it. It has been sitting in this drawer for much too long." Draco winked at his son, lightening the air.

Placing the bracelet back in its box, Scorpius closed it and sat it on his leg. "Thank you, this means a lot." Draco nodded, his grey eyes kind. "But I- well I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone. Not many people know about this, and I think she wants to keep it like that for the time being."

Just then a knock was heard, and the doors were pushed open moments after Draco spoke up. Astoria and Daphne entered then, looking bright and joyful as ever. Scorpius quickly pocketed the small box, and knew his secret was safe when his father gave him a reassuring wink. "Hello, boys." Daphne said merrily, motioning for Scorpius to stand up when she stood next to him. "My, look at you," she said as she hugged the tall boy, planting a kiss on his cheek. "You get taller every day, don't you."

Astoria laughed, moving to behind Draco's desk to give him a kiss. "Did you have a good time," Scorpius asked, though he honestly didn't care very much. His mother and aunt went shopping almost once a week for one thing or another, sometimes even more, and he would be bored to death if he asked them about their trips every time. Daphne nodded, moving to snatch a sweet from the bowl that laid on a table.

"Yes, it was lovely," Astoria said, a pretty smile on her pretty face. The four of them had dinner together that night, Daphne staying as her husband and sons were all absent for the night, having gone to see a Quidditch game in Bulgaria. The meal passed pleasantly, Draco sending Scorpius reassuring nods every time he nervously looked his way.

* * *

That night Scorpius felt a state of serenity encase him, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. With the bracelet safely locked away, and his record player on, he laid on his bed. He didn't feel tired, but he also didn't feel awake, he just felt… happy. Scorpius grinned as he hummed the tunes of the songs, already familiar with them from ample amount of times he had played them.

And for the first time in his life, Scorpius felt that he had something worth breathing for.


	23. Chapter 23

Happy theoretical Christmas. Enjoy and review!

* * *

" _Rosie!_ " The small witch rolled over, bringing a hand up to try and block out the persistent voice. "Rosie," her name was shouted at her again, and a warm hand clamped on her shoulder, roughly shaking her back and forth. The narcoleptic girl groaned, flipping over again, causing her head to smash against a bony knee. Rose sat up rubbing the spot that would surely form a bump, and when she opened her tired eyes she saw her brother posed on her bed.

"It's about time," Hugo grumbled, fiddling with her comfy white bedding. "I've been trying to wake you for bloody hours! You sleep like the dead; you're worst than dad... at least you don't snore." The tall boy stood from the bed, a huge grin spreading across his freckled face. "Come on, then!"

The sleepy girl laughed at her enthusiastic sibling, forced out of her dream like bed when he grabbed her hand and began pulling her. Chauncey lept from his sleeping spot at the end of Rose's bed, stretching his tired furry body out. Satisfied she was finally up, Hugo hurried out of her room and downstairs towards the awaiting presents. Rose walked over and threw on the soft robe that hung on her bathroom door, admiring the fluffy snow that was falling outside.

Rose smiled when she heard her father singing off key holiday carols as she made her way down the front stairs, the excitement of Christmas morning in full effect. Heading towards the kitchen, she found her other in the place she knew she would be, drinking a hot cup of coffee. "Happy Christmas, Mum," Rose said sweetly, gaining her mother's attention.

The women with a wild curls smiled brightly, moving to kiss and hug her daughter. "Happy Christmas, sweetheart. How did you sleep?" Hermione handed Rose a plate with a croissant on it, giving her a stern look when she began to push it away. "Rose Blaire Weasley, you will get no gifts until you eat something."

The older witch smiled when her daughter sighed and bit into the fresh pastry. "You got a delivery," Hermione said casually, pointing to a large black box resting on the kitchen table. Rose shot her mother a questioning look, but she just shrugged back at her. The young girl put her plate down, curiously walking towards the sleek package. Rose pulled off the small note attached and smiled when she read ' _To Rose, S'_. Small hands lifted the top off the box, and Rose sighed when a beautiful floral scent encased her.

Hermione went over to her, gasping with the girl at the two dozen gorgeous white peonies that lied in the box. The flowers looked like they had been cared for impeccably, and Rose knew they were the most exquisite thing she had ever received. "Oh, they're breathtaking," Hermione whispered, watching as Rose reached out to stroke the petals. "Who are they from?"

The smiling girl felt overwhelmed with delight, and she simply answered, "a friend." Hermione saw the dazed over look on her daughter's face, and decided it would be better to simply leave it as it was.

Hugo, followed by Ron, ran into the room just as Rose was putting her stunning flowers into a vase. "What are you two doing? We can eat after, there are glorious presents calling my name, and dad says I can't start without you." Hermione and Ron laughed when Hugo half dragged Rose into the living room, placing a cushion on the floor for her to sit on.

"Can we _please_ begin?" The amiable boy asked, unaware to the fact that his light auburn locks were sticking up in all directions. Rose reached forward and smoothed his hair down, chuckling when he strayed away. Hermione nodded into her cup of coffee, happily watching her children while tucked cozily into Ron's arms.

* * *

Hours later the entire Weasley family was happily celebrating Christmas dinner at the Burrow. Children giggled as they chased each other, and adults drank as they relaxed and chattered about. Everyone was lying around, holding their stuffed stomachs, waiting to gain room for dessert. Rose was sat on a loveseat with Albus, her cold feet being warmed in his lap. She was reading the book her Uncle Bill had given her, called ' _Most Macabre Monstrosities'_ , and Albus was chatting with Teddy about the latest broomstick that came out that day.

"I heard it's nearly impossible to get your hands on, less than twenty models were made," Teddy explained, holding Mariah in his lap as she contently played with her new doll. Albus nodded, disgruntledly agreeing as his hands came down to play with Rose's petite feet. The small girl let out a squeal as he ran his finger up the sole of a foot, expertly tickling her.

Rose laughed as Albus grabbed her foot when she tried pulling it away, attacking her feet full on. "Albus," she said breathlessly, just as Mariah hopped off her father's lap. Albus and Teddy laughed when the young girl helped tickle Rose, everyone in the room watching in amusement. "I surrender, give me mercy!"

The two of them stopped their attack, high fiving sneakily. Rose sat up, holding her cramped stomach with one hand, and her book in the other. "Rosie dear," her name was shouted from the other room. The young witch marked her book and placed it down, getting up to see what the fuss was about. But when Mariah whined as she began to leave, she kindly asked, "would you like to come, missy?" The small child grinned with her thumb permanently in her mouth, as she moved forward to grab the older girl's hand.

Walking into the kitchen, Rose found her grandmother running about furiously. "Is something wrong," she asked, Mariah still clutching her hand. Molly looked up, bits of hair falling out of her bun, with various cooking ingredient spread over her apron.

"Oh, everything's wrong, everything's ruined! Silly me and my old self forgot when I put the cakes in, and now there burnt to bricks. Everyone will be so disappointed." Rose watched her grandmother run around, fussing on the brink of tears.

The small girl walked over to her, an optimistic smile in place. "Grandma, calm down, everything will be fine." Molly stopped her movement, staring at her with hope. "I can make a Plum Crumble in less than thirty minutes. And together we can make four or five dozen cookies, and we already have the puddings made, plus the ice cream. If we start now, we will have everything done in no less than an hour, don't worry."

Molly smiled at Rose, admiring her quick mind and caring ways. The older witch nodded, rubbing away the traces of tears. And together the two of them whipped up an entire new arrangement of Christmas desserts, with only a few complaints from the men.

That night Rose laid on her couch, her mum on one side, and Chauncey on the other. The two of them were reading, the fire crackling in front of them, and the laughter of Ron and Hugo calming them from the other room. The young girl felt completely at peace, she felt that she had everything she needed. Rose saw the words of her book slowly blur away from her, as Hermione rubbed soothing circles on her back, lulling her into a serene slumber.

* * *

A strong hand, elegant yet roughly calloused from years on a broom, came up to adjust the collar of a crisp white shirt. Amy Winehouse's sultry voice was playing from the spinning record machine, and another voice was humming along unconsciously. Ashy eyes looked to the costly watch sitting on his pale wrist, watching the skinny hand tick around. Scorpius sighed, knowing his parents had expected him down stairs minutes ago. After pocketing his wand, his long legs took lengthy strides down the spotless echoing corridors, down to the foyer.

"Ah, darling." Astoria said as Scorpius strolled down the grand staircase, looking as aristocratically handsome as his father. His strapping body was covered in expensive luxurious clothes, all tailored perfectly to him. "You look dashing," the dark hair women said, looking remarkable in the purple dress she had received from him that morning. The older witch allowed her husband to help her into her coat as Scorpius put on his own.

Draco stood back, effortlessly placing various protective spells on the manor. "Well," he said once he was finished. "Let's be on our way." The trio left through the massive front doors, walking out to the gate where the apparition spot was. Scorpius said nothing as he quickly whipped away, his parents watching before they did the same. The tall wizard landed perfectly, standing in front of a large manor in eastern Gloucestershire, just as flurries of snow began falling from the white sky. With the sound of two pops, Scorpius knew his parents were with him, and they made their way to the front entrance.

A bell automatically rang out through the expansive home the moment they stood on the doorstep, and the doors opened less than a second later. "Welcome, Malfoy family," an old and faithful elf croaked out, motioning for them to enter. The warmth of the home comforted Scorpius immediately, and he could smell the sweet aroma of Christmas desserts. Their coats were taken from them, as the clicking noise of heeled shoes got louder and closer to them. "Sister," a tall woman yelled when she entered the room, looking wholly identical to Astoria, aside for her lighter hair

"Daphne," Astoria said with a smile, moving forward to hug her older sister. "Happy Christmas," they said to each other with matching dazzling smiles. Daphne moved forward, giving her nephew and brother-in-law welcoming hugs. The enthusiastic women brought them through halls, leading them to the drawing room. As they entered, Scorpius' eyes were immediately drawn to the massive decorated tree that stood proudly in the corner of the room, with dozens of presents spread under it.

A rumbustious voice was booming throughout the large room, "and I said to him; 'Sorry Cornfoot, but I think Montgomery is done for the night, try the Regulations sector.'" Chuckles were heard, and the man beamed from the attention. Ray Greengrass sat lounged out on a couch, his arm wrapped around his beauteous wife, Sylvia. Daphne cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention.

The nobleman turned his head, smiling largely when he spotted his family. "Dearest Astoria." Ray stood, along with his wife, moving towards the Malfoy family. Astoria received adoring hugs from her parents, and Draco and Ray shared a nod, their hands meeting in a rough hand shake. "And Scorpius, my boy. Look at you, growing like Goliath. Tell me, how have you been, son?"

"Fine," the blonde man said to his grandfather, as he was lead over to the others. Dawson sat on a couch, next to his father, Adrian. Across from them was Scorpius' other two cousins, Edmund and Ackley. All four of the men, with the same dark features, held drinks in their hands, as they chatted lightly amongst themselves. "Scorpius, how are you," Adrian asked, standing up to give his nephew a quick embrace. Edmund and Ackley moved to do the same, as they were both rather close to the boy, but Dawson stayed put, his eyes heavy on Scorpius. He was apparently still upset about their confrontation that occurred days ago.

Ray led his grandson to the sofa he was previously on, snapping his fingers at the House elf to bring Scorpius a drink. "Ah, Malfoy, haven't seen you in awhile. Anything new," Edmund, the eldest brother, asked as he crossed a foot over his knee and sat back. Scorpius replied casually, his deep voice rumbling as he accepted the hard alcohol from the elf.

"I heard you were able to snatch up one of Wronski Feint's new brooms." Ackley intruded curiously, his voice friendly though Scorpius could detect the jealousy. The fair haired wizard nodded, sipping the spicy drink. "Have you tried it out yet? Is it as phenomenal as they say it is?" Draco came over just then, sitting down and starting a conversation with Adrian, his old school friend.

Scorpius shrugged, staying neutral in front of the man he knew could get merciless with envy. "It's unquestionably one of his best brooms yet. I like it loads better than my Nimbus 5000, but I don't think it's for everyone. Though I'm sure it will be a lifesaver this spring, for the Quidditch Finals."

"You're a lucky bastard, Malfoy, I'll say that much," Ackley chuckled out, his smile tight and his laugh restricted.

Edmund, sensing his brothers resentment, choose that time to butt in. "Say Scorpius, do you know what you're doing after graduation? It is coming up fast, after all."

The blonde man nodded, having figured out his life back when he was just a child. "I'll be joining the family business, so in a few years time father can retire." Scorpius had never thought about doing anything other than the Malfoy business, and didn't have a clue what he would want to do if not that. A house elf came in just then, announcing the first course of dinner was served. All the men went to their wives, giving them their arms and escorting them to the dining hall.

Scorpius was sat next to Dawson, in which everyone noticed neither of them had said a word to each other. Salads and soups were served, and next came the full Christmas meal, which had been slaved over by dozens of elves all day. Everyone chatted joyfully, filling their bellies with delicious food. Scorpius was in a considerable mood, that was until his grandfather spoke just as desserts were brought out.

"Did you hear about what happened to the family out in Blackpool?" Most of the table hushed down when Ray pipped up, knowing when he spoke he was to be listened to. The old man continued, even though no one answered him. "I was speaking to Bulstrode the other day, and he told me how a family, with Halfblood parents and five children, were found attacked. He said they were each hung from the ceilings of different rooms, the kids were burned from the inside out and the parents were found skinned completely-"

"Ray!" Sylvia shouted from across the table, her face twisted in disgust and horror, similar to her two daughters. "Not at the table! We are trying to enjoy a family dinner, we do not need to hear about death. Please, save it for later."

The old man shrugged though, disregarding his with easily, though he had the decency to hush his voice before he continued. "Bulstrode told me dark magic was found lingering when they arrived, he said the ministry has begun interrogating various Pureblood families. Can you believe it? How dare they assume a Pureblood would lower himself down to the level of murder. But I mean, I am sure the family deserved what came to them. Not a very big loss, if you ask me."

Scorpius sat in his seat, his back rigid as a board, with his fist clenched around the fork in his hand. His lips were pale and thin from squeezing them shut, and he felt the hand that was fisted in his lap shake with rage. He stayed silent, not saying a word. His grey eyes caught his mother's and she sent him an apologetic look, knowing how he had differing ideas from his grandfather. Scorpius knew he was surrounded by a group of sneaky, bastard Slytherins, and everyone would see if he did anything out of hand. So, he just sat there, the words he wanted to yell at his grandfather filling his head.

No one noticed his strange behavior, save for his father, who immediately knew why he was angered. Nobody at the table seemed to share Ray's wicked opinion on the matter, except for Ackley, who laughed along cynically. Scorpius kept his eyes down, though when he looked up and met his Draco's gaze, and he felt ever so calmed by his father's relaxed state. "How's Delilah, Ackley," Scorpius asked when he could no longer listen to his cousin and grandfather laugh on about the murders. He, along with everyone at the table, knew Ackley was taking a break in the engagement that had been on and off for years.

The man looked up, his dark eyes stiff and hostile. The entire table was now silent, and even the House elves that stood near by held their breath. Ackley dropped his spoon onto the table with a clank, and a malicious smirk crept onto his handsome face. "She's great, Scorpius. We're not together now, though. I'm sure you understand how things get."

"Of course," the blonde man breathed out, his steel eyes locked with Ackley's black ones, "sorry to hear about that." To any normal onlooker, the exchange would seem innocent, ordinary even. But to the family sat around the table, it was vicious and virulent, and they all understood the message Scorpius silently sent. The two men stared at each other for another moment before sharing a fake smile and returned to conversation.

The rest of dinner continued flawlessly, no other arguments were had. That Malfoy's left the Pucey house later that night, after the small family sat by the tree and shared presents. Scorpius was rebuked for fighting with his cousin by his mother later on, though Draco was quick to defend him.

Scorpius stood out on his balcony that night, in only his boxers and a thin cotton shirt, though he could hardly feel the bitter cold. He was smoking a cigar from the package his father had given him, his lungs burning as he rarely indulged in the dangerous pastime. He brought the smoldering stick to his mouth, breathing the sweet smoke all the way down into his chest. Scorpius watched as it slowly winded away when he blew it out, snowflakes melting when the hot wind caught them. As he stood there watching burning ash fall from his cigar, Scorpius wondered how his Rose was, feeling as if he couldn't wait another painful second to see her.


	24. Chapter 24

Scorpius sat with a blank stare on his face, his hand holding his chin as he peered out the window to watch dead forest fly by. His leg bounced fervently up and down, shaking the bench he sat on, thoroughly agitating his neighbor. He listened to the quiet tick of his wristwatch, feeling as if the train ride was hours longer than usual. "Mate," Quinn said from his spot beside the petulant blonde man, grabbing his attention. "Would you mind keeping your leg still, the entire cabin is shaking from your bloody bouncing."

The tetchy man looked over at his friend, a dreadfully annoyed look on his face. His knee frozen all at once, stopping the bouncing, and he rose a taunting eyebrow at Quinn. "Thank you," Nott said, feeling grateful Scorpius actually obeyed his request. "You alright?" He asked, sensing the man's anxiety.

"I'm fine," Scorpius replied, moving his eyes to stare back out the window. The fingers that rested on his knees began tapping, replacing the movement of his leg.

Zoee, who had joined the trio mid way through the ride, piped up from her spot next to Luciano. "Are you happy to see Rose?" Everyone knew she was the reason for his restlessness, and they were all glad he got to see her again as he always seemed to be in a much better mood with her around.

The three were semi shocked when Scorpius nodded his head, the corner of his lips twitching upwards. They all knew him quite well, and were well aware Scorpius rarely shared his feelings. The silver haired man keep his eyes out the window the rest of the way, though he held a conversation with the others. His metallic eyes watched as the sky faded into the blackness of night, and he felt his stomach tighten when the bright lights of the castle came into view.

* * *

A beatific smile wound itself onto the pair of pink lips, showcasing a set of white teeth and an adoring dimple. Rose grinned as she pulled a wrapped present out of her trunk, setting it on her bed, feeling incredibly excited to give it away. A small sigh escaped her as she checked the time, not wanting to be late to the welcoming feast. Ocean blue eyes snapped to her door a moment later when she heard a knock, assuming it was Dawson, who wanted to walk with her to the Great Hall. Her small hand clasped around the silver door handle, pulling it open just in time to be shoved back into her room.

A pair of warm, large hands clasped around her shoulders and they carefully pushed her backwards, slamming the door shut. Rose gasped at the sudden assault, her hands instinctively moving to push away the solid body in front of her. She stopped struggling though, when a familiar scent filled her nostrils, calming her at once. Looking up, her eyes met a stunning grey pair, which were filled with passionate stormy clouds. Rose let out a relieved sigh, her hands falling onto his chest as she unintentionally stepped closer to him. "You frightened me," the small girl hardly managed to get the words out of her mouth before lips were covering her own.

Scorpius stepped forward, his hands going to her waist to pull her flat against him, wanting to feel every inch of her soft body. Rose recovered quickly, her hands moving up to pull his head down closer to hers as her lips eagerly responded. One of his hands moved up into her hair, massaging his fingers against her scalp. The fire between both of them fueled on with every sweet kiss, neither of them wanting to break apart.

But they eventually did, five long minutes later, each breathing raggedly with blushed cheeks and messy hair. "I missed you," Scorpius whispered to her, with his forehead resting against hers. He took in all of her, realizing she got more beautiful with everyday he hadn't seen her. Rose leaned into his hand when it came up to stroke her cheek, closing her eyes when his sweet words brushed over her face.

"I missed you, too. Terribly." Rose mummered back, opening her eyes to see a handsome grin on his face. She moved forward, stepping into his arms so she could rest her head down on his chest. Scorpius leaned down and breathed in her scent, his strong arms wrapping around her thin frame, happy to have her back in his embrace.

Rose smiled when she felt the sturdy pounding of his heart under her ear, hearing the soothing and steady beat. "I've got a present for you," Scorpius said after a moment, grabbing her hand and walking towards her bed.

"Oh, thank you. But, Scorpius, we really ought to head down to the dinner. We are expected there in three minutes, and it's a good distance away." Rose nervously looked at the clock, motioning towards the door.

Rolling his eyes, Scorpius continued to pull her towards the large bed. Rose squealed when she was pulled down into Scorpius lap, his muscular arms coming around her, trapping her perfectly. "Rose, come on. The world won't end if you skip a stupid dinner. I've waited days to see you, I'm not letting you go that easy." And for the first time in her life, Rose put school second. Scorpius grinned when she bit her lip and eagerly nodded at him, excitement obvious in her eyes.

Once she was relaxed against him, Scorpius reached into his back pocket and pulled out her present. Rose's pretty eyes lit up when he presented her with a long box, covered in forest green velvet. "Scorpius," she whispered, taking the package when he motioned for her to. Her little hands shook as they gingerly pulled the black ribbon that was tied around it, inhaling sharply when she finally opened the box. The light hit the diamond bracelet flawlessly, making it shine and sparkle alluringly.

"Oh my," Rose said breathlessly as she carefully pulled out the bracelet, "this is incredible." She read the inside of the bracelet when he instructed her to, and suddenly felt a frog jump into her throat. "Will you help me?" Scorpius nodded, taking the jewelry and clasping it securely onto her tiny wrist. The expensive bracelet felt cool and light on her skin, almost magical. "Thank you so much," Rose said to him, looking up with tears glistening in her eyes. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight, feeling overwhelmed with happiness.

Scorpius wiped the tear that trickled down her face carefully, enjoying the long kiss she gave him. "Thank you for the flowers, as well. They are so beautiful." She gestured to the lovely bouquet that sat on her desk.

"You're welcome," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "My mother grew them, she quite the gardener. I swear she could get anything to grow if you asked her." Rose smiled, thanking him yet again, filling him with joy. She smiled sneakily as she reached behind him on the bed and grabbed the wrapped box.

"For you," she said passionately as she held the gift out for him. Rose smiled when he opened it, ripping the silver paper from it. Scorpius lifted the lid off the box, finding two different pairs of seeker dragon skin gloves. Grabbing the darker pair, he admired the leathery feel of the scaly mitts, thick and warm on the inside. He knew the gloves would be life saver in his next Quidditch match, as his current ones were tattered and old. Scorpius also knew that the gloves must have cost Rose a fortune, as good gloves are hard to come by.

Admiring this gift, he smiled at her, amazed she remembered him complaining about his old gloves some time ago. "Rose, these are amazing. Thank you." Scorpius gave her another kiss, this time on her cheek.

"That's okay," she said, placing her head on his shoulder as she felt one of the gloves, making a face. "My Uncle Charlie helped me with them. He's worked with dragons for over thirty years, so he's an expert, and he was more than happy to help me. They are from Hebridean Black dragons, whose trainer donated their bodies after they died. He said that these would be ideal for a Seeker, that they are thin enough but they will last you a long time." Scorpius tried on a glove, feeling it stretch and flex perfectly, and he immediately felt the urge to go try them out. "Look under them," Rose urged on, a smile on her face.

Scorpius grabbed the other pair and set them aside, grinning hugely when he saw what laid beneath them. Three tickets to the Quidditch Cup Semi-Finals, front box seats. He knew that they must have cost her a leg and an arm too, and felt immensely grateful for his little witch. "I know it is still a long ways away, but I was sure that you would still enjoy them."

The stunned man simply grinned at her, pecking her on the lips quickly. "No, thank you so much, Rose. These are amazing, truly."

"That's alright," she repeated, with a bright smile. "Did you like the record player?"

Scorpius nodded enthusiastically, truly obsessed with it. "I love it, I have listened to it every night since it got it." The couple was utterly caught up in each other, completely having forgotten the welcoming dinner. They tried to make up for every moment they lost when they were apart. Setting his box aside, Scorpius reached out and stroked his soft face before cupping her cheek and pulling her closer to his face. His grey eyes spotted the small smile she wore right before they closed as their lips united.

Scorpius knew he was utterly obsessed with the taste of Rose's sweet lips, and could kiss them for ages. Two small hands reached up and one wrapped around his neck as the other stroked through his silver hair, sending shivers down his spine. Their tongues came out, and pushed into the others mouths at the same time, starting a battle. Rose felt a heat grow deep in the pit of her belly, as she became dizzy with arousal, unaware that Scorpius was feeling the same exact thing. The wizard engulfed the squeal that fell into his mouth which he elicited from Rose when he grabbed her and flipped her over onto the soft bed.

Pulling back for a moment, the Ravenclaw looked up and found Scorpius laying next to her on his side, holding himself up with hands on each side of her. The look on his face gave away everything her felt, and Rose gasped as she pulled him back down to her roughly when she felt fire shoot down, and spread between her legs. The couple continued on for an entire hour, not parting once until their lips began to ache and their tongues felt sore.

Some time later they were laying on her bed, Rose snuggled beneath the covers in Scorpius' arms, as his deep voice read one of her new books. His voice was the most soothing thing Rose had ever heard, and she felt entirely safe in that moment, feeling as if nothing could get to her. They stayed like that for hours, loving the feeling of being together again.

When the clock tolled midnight, Scorpius looked down to find Rose sound asleep on his chest, her hand clutched to the front of his shirt. He felt an odd sense of belonging in the moment, and wished that he could stay with her like that forever. He took in all of her beauty, admiring how at peace she looked while fast asleep. Scorpius stroked her rosy cheeks, watching her lip twitch and her eyelids flutter, placing a soft kiss on the tip of her button nose.

Reluctantly, he got out of bed, careful not to wake her as he extracted his body from beneath hers. Scorpius smiled as he watched her curl into a tight ball, settling herself into the plethora of pillows she had. Checking that the doors and windows were locked, he left a note on a piece of parchment for her. Scorpius left at quarter to one in the morning, a content smile on his face, feeling as blessed as a man had ever felt.

* * *

A huge gust of wind was sucked into his lungs as he gasped suddenly, sitting up in his bed. Sweat covered Scorpius' forehead, and his hand shook slightly as he brought it up to wipe his preparation off. His heart was beating loudly and erratically in his chest, and he fought to regain normal breathing. The wizard's mind relived the vivid nightmare he had just slept through. Scorpius had just dreamt Rose had been brutally slaughtered as he stood by and did nothing but watch, and his body refused to calm down.

Judging by the bright morning light that shone through the lake, he knew it was around five in the morning. Considering he normally woke around this time, Scorpius rose out of bed, quickly throwing on his uniform for the Monday morning. Shoving his wand in his book bag, he went on his way, not bothering to wake his mates and tell them where he was off to.

Scorpius make it to the Great Hall in a few short minutes, his long legs taking long strides. Walking into the extravagant room, he made his way over to the Slytherin table, making himself comfortable in his usual spot. No other person was in the room, aside from Headmistress McGonagall, who sat at the Head table tipping her morning tea and reading the Daily Prophet. The old witch looked up when he walked in, nodding to him politely with a small smile. The student and teacher had formed a strange bond over the years, being the only two early risers in the entire castle, it seemed.

The hall slowly filled as seven o'clock rolled around, more and more students appearing with each minute, the room slowly filling with weary voices. Scorpius ignored everyone around him, filling his plate though his upset stomach prevented him from eating any of it. He felt his anxiety build up every time the doors opened up, and Rose _didn't_ walk in. He needed to see her, just to verify that she actually hadn't been torn to shreds, even if he knew it was only a dream he had.

At exactly quarter to eight a sleepy looking Rose walked in, only fifteen minutes before classes started. She had a lazy smile on her face as she walked in with Albus Potter, laughing at something he said. Scorpius felt as his heart skipped a beat when he saw her, looking as glorious and untouched as ever. She made her way over to the Ravenclaw table, sitting between her two goons, greeting them with a bright smile. He let out a relieved breath, realizing how stupid it was of him to think that she had been harmed. And though he got his reassurance, Scorpius kept his eyes trained on Rose through the entire remainder of breakfast, watching her every move like a tiger would watch his prey. Once through the meal, Rose looked up and seemed to be searching for something. Scorpius was extraordinarily happy as he realized that something was him when her eyes stopped on him and a huge smile lit up her face.

Everyone evacuated the hall when the bell chimed at eight o'clock, students reluctantly dragging themselves to class. Scorpius stood once most everyone was gone, giving his coffee one last sip and grabbing his bag. He was almost out of the hall when his legs stopped moving all at once, his mind coming to a sudden realization; he truly cared about Rose Weasley, more than he could ever fathom. And he was ever so pleased by that.


	25. Chapter 25

I just wanted to say a big thank you to ' _glassycry_ ' and ' _ivngrzn_ ' for faithfully reviewing on my work, and also to all the others that have left comments! It is super helpful to me and I really appreciate the both of them. All the feedback is very valued by me. So, _this chapter is dedicated to them_! Thanks again, enjoy!

* * *

The door clicked softly behind her, locking into place, and her footsteps shuffled quietly. Rose smiled at Dawson when she saw him sitting on the common room couch, staring out the window to watch fluffy snowflakes fall down to the piling ground. "Good morning," she said, grabbing the man's attention. Looking back, Dawson quickly stood and grabbed his bag before heading towards her, apparently having been waiting.

"Morning," the dark haired wizard said. "Could I walk you to breakfast?" Rose nodded at his polite request, and the pair headed out of their dorms. The corridors were slightly chilled from the blizzard they had the night before, and they could feel the magic of the castle fighting to keep warm. The Head Boy and Girl chatted lightly as they made their way, passing by very few students.

When the pair was a minute away from the hall, a flustered and out of breath fifth-year came barreling towards Rose. She recognized the boy from the Slytherin Quidditch team, Cliff Montgomery. The boy stopped when he reached her, taking a short moment to catch his breath. "Miss Rose," the boy asked, making sure he had found the right person. Rose nodded, highly intrigued. "I have a note here for you," Cliff said, shoving a piece of parchment to her before he walked away without another word.

Not bothering to hide her excitement, she opened the note, smiling at the familiar handwriting. ' _Meet me at the Black Lake tonight, eight o'clock. S.M.'_ Dawson's eyes were trained on Rose as she read her note, and they darkened a shade as he frowned when he saw the initials scribbled at the bottom. An upset feeling filled his gut when he watched as a huge smiled spread across Rose's full lips, hating that it he couldn't make her respond that way. A thrill ran through the Ravenclaw, and she was suddenly very excited for tonight to come, hardly able to wait until then.

* * *

The day seemed to pass slow as molasses for the little witch, every minute feeling longer than normal. And for the first time ever, Rose watched the clock through her classes, wishing they would end sooner. Six o'clock came around and she found herself in the Gryffindor common room, having been dragged their by her family. Rose was sat in the middle of Albus and Hugo, both needy for her help with various homework assignments and essays. The girl rolled her eyes at her brother, knowing he was nearly as brilliant as her, but got armature grades from his simple lack of enthusiasm and laziness.

The brilliant witch was blessed with unlimited patients, which became very useful for situations like the one she was in. The room was overwhelmed with voices and noises, and it seemed the entire House of Gryffindor was currently in the room. It also didn't help that several of Hugo and Albus' friends continued to come over an interrupt various time through the night. Rose had always envied the homely feel of the room, and how the House seemed like a big family.

She stayed with them for a long while, assisting the boys with all of their tasks until they had nothing left to work on. Yet, at a quarter to eight Rose stood from her spot, stretching out her tired limbs. "Where you going?" Hugo asked, his blue eyes tired.

"Oh, I think I am just going to head back. I have some work of my own I need to get done and I am pretty tired. Though I am glad I got to spend time with you both." Rose bit her tongue painfully as she fibbed to them, hoping they wouldn't suspect anything.

Albus nodded, his arm slung back around the couch casually. "Alright, want one of us to walk you back?" Rose shook her head, not wishing to impose. "You sure, Rosie?"

Nodding her head, she grabbed her bag and placed a kiss on top of Hugo and Albus' head. "Yes, I'm sure. Thanks though, I'll see you two later. Oh, and tell Lily I say hello." The boys waved goodbye as she left, along with several other friendly Gryffindors. After stopping by her dorm to grab her coat and drop off her bag, Rose made her way out into the cold winter night.

Pushing past the castle doors, a huge gust of wind blew in her face, chilling her immediately. Her hair flew all around her crazily, as her cheeks gained more color with each moment. Rose's gloved hands were shoved into her pockets as she made her way through the layer of snow, hardly able to feel the cold because she was so eager to get to Scorpius. The chilled girl was able to get to the lake after a few short minutes, spotting a tall and stocky figure standing near the edge of the frozen lake.

Scorpius turned around when the crunching of her shoes neared, and he smiled when he saw her all bundled up. He took a few strides, grabbing her hand and helping her to the spot he had set up. "Hello," she greeted him breathlessly, hugging his middle quickly. "What's all this," Rose asked, gesturing to the blanket spread on the ground.

"Have you ever ice skated before," he asked, not bothering to answer her previous question due to excitement. The small girl shook her head slowly, an apprehensive look on her face. Scorpius grinned, "well then, you'll learn tonight." He motioned to the pair of ice skates lying on the blanket, one tiny pair and another rather large in size.

Rose bit her lip anxiously, her hands twisting together. "Um, Scorpius, as lovely as this is, I don't think it is a very good idea. I mean, I can hardly control my balance on normal, flat land, how do you think I will do on slippery ice?" She was pulled by her hand onto the blanket, as Scorpius smirked and began removing the shoes she was wearing.

He then helped her into the strange new shoes, lacing them up for her. "Listen to me, Rose," Scorpius said when he was done, looking deep into her eyes with his hand stroking hers. "You will be fine, don't underestimate yourself. Besides, I will be right there beside you. And I would never let you fall." Rose smiled at his kind words, nodding before she leaned forward to kiss him. "Right then, let's give it a go, shall we?"

"Wait," Rose murmured when he made a move, grabbing his bicep to stop him. "We won't fall through will we?" The Slytherin was about to laugh at her ridiculous question when he saw the genuine look of concern on her face. For the amount of knowledge she kept in her brain, she rather lacked common sense. After having him promise that the ice was solid as marble, she nodded again, taking a deep breath. Scorpius stood first, moving to grab Rose's small hands and help her up. The Ravenclaw clutched onto him, as she struggled to stand on the blade attached to the bottom of her shoe. "I can't do it," she mumbled.

"Of course you can, little lamb. We'll just take it slow." Scorpius said encouragingly, helping her kindly until she found the right position. He then lead her to the edge of the large lake that had been frozen solid for many weeks. Scorpius stepped onto the ice fearlessly, his father having taught him how when he was merely six years old. But when Rose hesitated, he grabbed her waist and effortlessly lifted her onto the lake next to him. Her mitted hands squeezed his bare ones tightly, and he held her up with his strong arms. A surge of calmness washed over her when Scorpius said, "don't worry, Rose. I'll never let go."

After a minute, Rose nodded and let Scorpius begin to move her along. He started very slowly, carefully gliding along the ice with her in front of him and his arms around her. Rose felt her nervousness melt away bit by bit as Scorpius lead her around the surface of the lake. Scorpius smiled when she let go of one of his hands, starting to move her feet in a way similar to his. And soon, with his help, she was skating freely. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about." Scorpius said, feeling happy when he watched her smile brightly as she laughed.

The two stayed out for hours, forgetting time completely as they skated with each other; Scorpius fast and expertly, and Rose rather slow and clumsily. They laughed merrily as they held hands and danced around the lake. After a while on the ice, Scorpius was barely able to convince Rose to come with him onto land, as she was nearly frozen completely. "I've got to get you warm again before you get hypothermia." Scorpius led her over to the blanket, and they sat and put their own shoes on again.

"Oh, my temperature is still far away from anything close to hypothermic," the brilliant witch said in her Healer voice, making Scorpius chuckle. "Thank you," Rose said, as he reached into a bag and searched for something, "I had loads of fun." Scorpius smiled at her, sitting his back against a tree as he opened his arms up and invited her in. Rose smiled as she crawled towards him, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

Scorpius handed her a thick blanket, which he had retrieved from the bag, and she smiled as he wrapped it around her. "I'm glad," he said, bending down to kiss the crown of her head. Rose snuggled into him, the warmth of his body spreading to hers as she listened to his heart, watching his breaths puff out in front of them. Scorpius pulled her with him as he laid down on the blanket, looking up towards the heavens.

The two of them stayed wrapped up with each other for the following hour, ignoring the icy weather. They took turns pointing out constellations in the starry sky, resulting with Rose giggling at Scorpius' awful astronomy skills. The pair completely loss sense of everything when they had each other; and they both felt perfectly in place.

* * *

Scorpius was on a high. He felt impregnable and invincible, he felt as if nothing could get to him. He felt like he never had before, and he knew why. It was all because of _her_ , that incredible little witch. She was changing him with everyday, and he had never been more pleased.

If anyone were to look at the wizard that day, they would notice that his cheeks had a slight tint to them and his charcoal eyes were a shade lighter. Scorpius kept his hands buried deep in his pockets as he made his way back to his dorm, occasionally running one through his blonde hair to tousle it. Several younger years greeted him as he walked through the common room, amazed when he courteously waved back. Scorpius whistled in his low baritone voice as his legs descended the stairs to his dorm, though it was silenced at once when he opened his door.

"What the fuck are you doing, Macnair? Get the hell away from my things." Scorpius yelled at Terrance when he walked in and found him leaning over his desk. The blonde boy's anger only heightened when he saw his roommate was screwing with the record player Rose had given him. "Are you deaf? Move!" Scorpius called out when the boy stood still with his hand still on the music machine. The tall Slytherin took three long strides to his desk, shoving Macnair out of the way with little restraint.

Terrance smirked as he moved away, slowly making his way over to his bed as he watched his roommate with trained eyes. Scorpius quickly swept his eyes over his gift, making sure no damage was done to it, as he stroked his fingers over the smooth wood of it. The enraged man turned back to Terrance with his pale hands fisted at his side. "I've told you to stay out of my belongings before, and I'll tell you again. Don't come near what's mine."

Macnair shrugged, tapping his finger on the wooden post to his bed. "But that's simply too difficult, Malfoy. You see, you have such fine things, things I admire greatly. Your money, your family… your _sweet little Rose_." His voice was slow and obviously mocking, driving Scorpius straight up a wall.

"Stay away from her," Scorpius seethed from between closed teeth, his breathing becoming ragged as he felt his heart speed up. With the flick of his wrist he had his wand in his hand, sparks shooting from the tip of it. Terrance's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure, and smirked coldly at Scorpius.

The dark haired man held up his hands in a surrender, stepping towards the door, as he chuckled slightly. "No harm needed. But, if I were you, I would keep a very close eye on that beauty of yours, Malfoy." A spell shot from the end of Scorpius' wand, whipping its way across the room, hitting the door just as it closed behind Macnair. Fury filled the man as he moved to sit on the edge of his bed, managing his anger the best he could. His breath came out in pants and he felt as if his skin was too tight for him.

Luciano and Quinn found him sitting in the same position when they entered the room ten minutes later. "Mate," Quinn said easily, as he approached Scorpius' hunched over form. "We've been trying to find you for a good while, you alright?" The man's grey eyes looked up after a minute, and both his friends sighed when he nodded his head with his lips tightly pulled together. "Macnair," the brunette man guessed, having seen a grinning Terrance in the corridor only minutes ago.

With a long sigh, Scorpius stood as he ran his hand through his hair yet again. "Yeah," and the man's eyes darkened when Luciano asked what he did. "He threatened Rose." Quinn and Luciano shared a look, before the Italian bravely spoke up.

"Well, he's just a bloody tosser, mate. Don't listen to him, he would never do anything to Rose. Besides she's safe… no matter how shit of a dueler she may be." Luciano held his breath when Scorpius looked to him, sighing when the man let out a loose laugh and told him to shove off. "Come on, man. Let's go get some drinks or something, I need to loosen you up."

Scorpius shook his head fervently, wishing only to go and see Rose. "No, Luce. I'm not in the mood-"

"Ah, but I don't recall giving you a option. Now, grab your bloody jacket before I curse your sorry pale arse." Scorpius let out a chuckle, surrendering as he snatched his coat and made his way towards the door with the others. The trio of devious Slytherins made their way through the night halls of the castle, stealthy sneaking around every corner. Having done it a time or two before, they made their way out of the castle through various passages in record time. The three men appeared in an alleyway, in the small town next to Hogsmeade that they often visited.

"Come on, boys," Quinn yelled joyfully, slinging his arm around both his mates shoulders. A full minute later, they all walked into the villages bar called ' _Barney's Pub'_. The tavern was lowly lit, with various wizards sitting at tables scattered around the place, and not a witch in sight.

They made they way over to the bar, and were approached by a mean looking old man. "Yer all seventeen, aren't ya?" The three men nodded, and that was enough verification for the barman. After buying several drinks, they made they way over to a table of their own, being eyed skeptically by the other wizards. All of them downed their own drinks, slowly letting the fiery liquid fill them, yet controlling the effects of the slippery juice expertly.

Midnight rolled around, followed by one, and then two o'clock. The trio left the bar then, chuckling freely as they made their way back to the castle. And as Scorpius passed the Head's tower, he looked up and wondered what his Rose was doing.


	26. Chapter 26

I would just like to say a small warning; this chapter falls into the Rated ' _ **M**_ ' category. Also, I will not be informing this at the beginning of each chapter anymore, just because I am sure you would all become sick of it; so from this point on a good majority of the chapters will have something in them to deserve the rating. Please understand that, and stop reading if you do not wish to come across adult content.

This one is also quite longer, as most of the chapters in the rest of the story will be. Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

"Just look at him," the wizard spat out venomously, bits of food flying from his mouth as he did. "I mean, dark magic is practically seeping from him. He's evil, I'm telling you." Albus' green eyes glared at Professor Blackband, staring him down as the man inconspicuously ate his lunch. The young Potter had thought badly of Otto Blackband since the day they met, proving him much too alike to his father.

Rose rolled her eyes when she heard her cousin, not believing any of his nonsense. "Oh, are you still on that? Professor Blackband hasn't done one single dishonorable thing in all seven years that we have known him. It's not fair, you're being prejudice and rude, and you're certainly not giving him the respect we owe him. Al, I think you should give up this crazy idea."

The black haired boy grumbled and pouted as he dug his fork into his plate and shoved food into his mouth. Hugo, who was sitting next to him, decided then was a good time to add in his opinion. "Well, if you ask me, I think Albus is right. Just because we haven't caught him doing anything wrong doesn't mean he hasn't done it. I'm keeping an eye on him." Albus instantly perked up when he heard this, and immediately him and Hugo began talking about all the malicious things they thought Blackband had done.

When she looked over at Lily, who was sat next to her, they shared a look and silently laughed at the boy's antics. Suddenly the doors to the Great Hall burst open, and Filch came running through, huffing and puffing as he held his chest. The elder wizard hobbled his way towards to opposite end of the room to the Headmistress, grabbing the entire halls attention. Hushed whispers were heard through the room as McGonagall bent low and allowed Filch to whisper her in her ear. After calling for Professor Longbottom and Madame Strout to follow, she rushed out of the room.

"What was that about?" Frank questioned once the doors were shut again, staring at the place his father had disappeared to. The room was now loud with voices, all curious and inquisitive.

All four tables were a buzz of noise, everyone trying to figure out what was happening. "Quiet now everyone. Settle down, please," Bathsheda Babbling said in a loud voice as she stood from her chair at the Head table. The room seemed to quiet then, everyone returning to their meals, though their was still a stiffness in the air. Then it happened… just moments before the bell tolled.

A terrific, ear splitting scream was let out, and Rose's blood turned to ice. Her eyes immediately shot towards the Slytherin table where the cry had come from. The Head Girl quickly stood, listening as several more screams were shouted out. Her petite body shoved her way through the growing crowd, reaching the source of the pleads and shrieks in moments. Professor Babbling and Professor Sinistra stood with looks of shock and horror on their faces, looking at the young boy who laid on the ground.

The boy writhed in pain with his hands clenched at his sides, as he howled loudly. Rose felt her heart double in pace as she immediately dropped to her knees next to the boy. Looking around at the younger Slytherins who surrender her, she asked for his name. "He's Mark Gamp," someone shouted at her. By now the entire room was watching her and the poor Slytherin, holding their breaths. Rose nodded and took a deep breath, cautiously leaning forward to place her hand against his chest.

"Mark," Rose said to him in a clear voice, pressing a small pressure onto his chest. "Mark, can you hear me?" For moment the small girl thought everything had ended, as he suddenly stopped convulsive and yelling. Just when she had her wand in her hand, as she was about to levitate him to the hospital, it started again. Rose had to keep from blocking her ears when he screeched, one of his hands moving up to grab her arm.

Grey eyes watched her every move from a few feet back, his heart as frantic as hers. All the students observed as she began waving her wand frantically around him, murmuring words furiously. Rose silently cursed when a blue magic haze suddenly glowed over him, giving her his diagnosis. Her eyes looked up suddenly, and she began yelling orders at random students. "Go fetch the Headmistress," she commanded a first-year boy. Looking to a different girl, she said, "find Madame Strout and tell her I need an Angel's Trumpet draught, a Calming draught, a Girding potion, and a Restoration potion." Both students hurried through the crowd, determine to follow their orders.

Looking back to the boy, Rose leaned forward to brush hair out of his face, putting a silencing spell on him to stop to cries of pain. Leaning down, she calmly said soothing words to Mark as her fingers felt the pulse of his neck. "Mark, someone has gone to get help. But I am going to need to do something to stop your pain, and it might bring you momentary discomfort. So I am going to need you to be very strong, and hang on for me. Can you do that, Mark?" The boy nodded his head frantically, his body still quivering and jerking.

The Ravenclaw nodded her head, blowing her hair out of her face. "Someone come grab his legs and arms," Rose yelled out. And when no one moved, she hollered out, "now!" Babbling and Sinistra moved forward to each grab a leg, and two Slytherins grabbed his arms and pinned them to the floor. Dozens of students flinched back when Rose lifted her wand and the sound of hundreds of bone snapping sounded out. Mark pulled on his restraints wildly, looking like a madman.

Scorpius held his breath as he watched his Rose, praying it would all be over soon. And suddenly something happened that caused everyone to gasp in awe, transfixed with the sight in front of them. Rose had both of her hands hovering over his chest, and a iridescent stream of light flowed from her hands into his chest. Few people understood what she was doing, and yet they were all paralyzed and stuck staring. Mark slowly stopped his shaking as Rose's magic steadily flowed into him, strengthening him yet slowly draining her. She knew it was a very risky thing to use her magic, but she also knew it was one of the only things she could do to help him without the potions she needed. "Easy, Miss Weasley," Professor Babbling whispered to Rose when she started to become weak, warning her student to stop.

The witch nodded, pulling her hands back from him, suddenly feeling extraordinarily tired and worn out. The boy was now lying still, breathing slowly and steadily as her magic pulsed through him, restoring him. Headmistress McGonagall rushed into the room minutes later, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide with worry. And with the help of Professor Longbottom, Mark Gamp was fed his potions and taken to the hospital wing in the blink of an eye.

The students started to slowly empty into the halls and return to their common rooms, as classes were canceled for the day. Feeling lightheaded, Rose looked around and smiled when Albus stepped forward and helped her stand on her shaky legs. The talented witch felt her head begin to spin as the lights pierced her eyes, and she could hear the concerned voice of Hugo echo farther and farther away. Stars floated in her vision as Rose's hand gripped tightly onto Albus' forearm, feeling as if it was the only thing keeping her up.

Scorpius watched on with worried eyes, noticing how Rose swayed on her feet and how her breathing was labored. His heart seemed to complete burst out of his chest when he saw Rose all of a sudden faint into the arms of Albus Potter, her body going limp.

* * *

"Oh, she had quite the spill, my little Healer. She had strained herself too much, allowed too much of her magic to power poor Mister Gamp. Rose knows that she has to use her magical abilities restrictively, that if she uses it too often it can harm herself. But she has such a big heart, and she allows it to get in the way sometimes, I'm afraid. She'll be fine though, just a little rest and she'll be good as new." Rose heard Madam Strout's matronly voice just as her eyes opened. Looking around Rose saw Albus, Hugo, and Lily, along with Professor Longbottom and Headmistress McGonagall. "And here she is," Miriam Strout said, rushing towards the bed the Ravenclaw was on. "How do you feel, darling?"

Her head was pounding and all she felt like doing was sleeping, but she knew that was to be expected. "I feel fine, much better," she said with a small smile, and sighs were heard all around. Madam Strout nodded happily, and Rose accepted a Pepperup potion, and a Strength potion.

"Now, little lady," Minerva said in a serious tone. "I am tremendously thankful you were able to step in and heal Mister Gamp. And I must applaud your healing skills and quick thinking. _But_ , I cannot have one of my students risking their welling being to help another. Your magic is something you must be very careful with, we don't want you hurting yourself. I realize you were just trying to help, but you cannot put yourself in danger like that, Rose. Your Healing abilities are phenomenal but you need to look after yourself, too." Rose nodded, her eyes down casted onto her lap. "Yet again, I must thank you. You did a wonderful job today."

The elder witch tapped the girl's foot, and shot her a wink. After saying his goodbye and wishing her well, Neville and Minerva made there way out. The Potter's and Hugo stayed with Rose until they were kicked out at nine o'clock, whining and pouting as they left. Madam Strout then insisted Rose get herself a good night of sleep, or else she would be forced to make her skip classes the next day to recover. And with the horrid threat hanging over her head, Rose promptly snuggled into the pillows and fell into a comfortable slumber.

Late that night, at two o'clock in the morning, the doors to the hall creaked open, as an invisible body slipped in. The light pattering of footsteps could be heard to anyone listening, but all the patients were fast asleep. Creeping past the curtain surrounding Rose's bed, the tall man made his way over to her, perching himself on the edge of the cot.

Scorpius lifted one of his large hands, stroking it down the side of her smooth face, watching her mumble and scoot closer to him in her sleep. The wizard bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, nestling his nose in her hair and inhaling her scent deeply. "Mm, Scorpius," Rose murmured so quietly he almost missed it, as a smile spread on her pretty lips. And with a shocked smile stuck on his face, the man left one last sweet kiss on her lips.

* * *

"You're sure you're alright?" The question was asked for the dozenth time that night, coming from a concerned young wizard. Rose laughed gently, laid down on her couch with her head cradled in Scorpius' lap.

The pretty witch looked up at him, their eyes meeting instantly, and she smiled kindly. "Yes, I am more than sure I'm okay. And I'll probably be alright for the right of the night, too. You needn't worry." Scorpius nodded, feeling slightly silly as he thoughtfully ran one hand through his thick beard, with the other playing with Rose's soft hair. The little witch sighed as she pulled herself up, turning to face her handsome man. She scooted forward and laid her legs across his lap, resting against his torso.

Her hand came up and stroked to side of his face, brushing through his trimmed bleached beard. "I know you are just concerned, but you can see with your own two eyes that I am perfectly fine." The Slytherin nodded, kissing her on her temple, sending shocks of electricity through her as he hand caressed her tiny waist.

Tapping her quickly, he cleared his throat and admitted, "if you don't mind, I need a trip to the loo." The auburn haired girl nodded, quickly removing her scrawny legs from his lap, allowing him to get up. Scorpius disappeared into the bathroom, and Rose stood from the couch, wandering around her room. Her legs took her to the large window beside her bed, and she began humming her favorite tune as she watched a group of students run around in the sparkling snow.

A yell of surprise escaped her lips when strong hands grabbed her by the waist and easily tossed her onto her large bed. Rose giggled when she looked to see Scorpius standing at the end of her bed with a mischievous look in his eyes. Placing his hands on the soft bedding, he slowly made his way towards her. He crawled to hover over her, his head bending down until it was inches away from her, as his breathing washing over her face. Scorpius felt a mild surprise when Rose reached up impatiently to grab the back of his neck and pull him down into a delicious kiss.

Her hands ran through his baby fine hair as their lips massaged each other. Scorpius ran a hand up and down her side softly, and they stayed connected in a passionate kiss for several long minutes. He was even more surprised when Rose ran the tip of her tongue over his sealed lips, as she asked to enter his mouth for the first time. Gladly allowing her entrance, Scorpius felt Rose timidly enter, stroking his own tongue with hers. He felt unbelievable when he heard a modest moan escape her lips as his hand moved down to gently knead her backside.

Scorpius nearly died on the spot when Rose ran her hands up his chest, and stopped to unbutton the top of his shirt. He didn't know where all her passion and courage was coming from, but he didn't care. The small girl stopped after the first button, waiting for permission to go further. And she got it when Scorpius gladly encouraged her go on, one of his hands going under her back to rub up and down soothingly, knowing how nervous she felt.

With shaking hands, Rose continued down his shirt at a painstakingly slow pace. When she got the last button from its hole, Scorpius helped her push the shirt off his toned arms, carelessly tossing it away. When he saw her hand lingering between them, he grabbed it and placed it on his hot chest, eliciting a gasp from her. Scorpius leaned down to kiss her beautiful lips again, just as she began running her soft fingertips over his smooth, muscled chest.

Her blue eyes peaked open, admiring all of the different inky art spread over his body, wondering the story behind each. Rose touched every inch of his gorgeous chest, surprised at the softness of his skin, as her heart pounded so hard in her chest she was sure Scorpius could hear it. She gently touched him with the heavenly cool hands that once was the only thing able to take his pain away. He felt awakened and enthralled by her, she was luring him in with every stroke.

Her small hands ran over his warm skin; starting with his broad shoulders, down to his pectorals, and over his rigid stomach. Rose stopped for a moment when her hand was over his heart, and she felt it beat strongly. Scorpius let out a gasp when her cold hand grazed over the skin right above his pants, and she yanked her hand back like it had been burned at the noise. The man chuckled at her reaction, pulling back to see her wide eyes staring down at her hand. Scorpius leaned down to her ear, pressing a kiss to her lobe as he whispered softly to her. "You're fine," he said, and she nodded as she brought her hands up to continue her exploring, though she stayed clear of that area.

Scorpius had never felt as good as he did with her little hands stroking him all over.

Millions of emotions and feelings raced through the witch as she stared deep into his mysterious eyes. But delight overrode all the rest, and she felt an ecstasy fill her wholly. One of the wizard's long legs slipped between hers, falling against her center lightly. She kissed him with all the passion that filled her, letting her emotions flow into him. Rose tried desperately to get enough of him, but it seemed impossible.

Scorpius groaned when he felt her soft breasts pushing and rubbing against his naked chest, her hot core pressed against one of his thighs. The couple stayed tangled up in each other for what felt like an eternity, but was only thirty minutes. They were forced apart when an alarm on Rose's clock went off, loudly buzzing. The desire filled girl regretfully pulled away, moving to quickly shut off the obnoxious noise.

A smile formed on Scorpius' lips when he saw the state Rose was in; her hair messy, her lips a deep pink, and her eyes gazed over. With one look he could tell she wanted to continue. "I've got tutoring with a third-year in five minutes," the pretty witch said, with a slight pout to her mouth.

"Wish you could have told me that a bit earlier," Scorpius mumbled, slyly adjusting the painfully hard erection that tented his pants. He held back a laugh when he saw the confused look on her face. When he scooted over in the bed, Rose caught to slight look of distress on his face.

With concern lacing her voice, she asked, "are you alright? Have I done something wrong?" The wizard grinned at the sincerity in her question, her eyes wide with worry.

"No, you did everything a bit _too_ right," he said, hoping she would understand. But, as innocent as Rose was, she didn't. She simply stared at him, with her head tilted to the side like a dog in the cutest of ways. "I'm just a bit uncomfortable, is all. Nothing to worry about."

But his answer wasn't enough for her. "Uncomfortable? Why are-"

Scorpius' baritone voice cut her off then, "you've got tutoring, remember? You should head out, or else you'll be late." Rose looked at him with skeptical eyes, hating that she still didn't understand him. "Go on, I'll be fine, Rose. Trust me." The wizard leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, getting off the bed and grabbing her hand to help her stand. Rose nodded at this, going to collect her books and wand.

The two of them made their way out of her room and then the common room, into the empty corridors. They stopped when they reached the end of the long hall, Rose turning to him and whispering, "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Scorpius."

"Goodnight, Rose," Scorpius said to her, bending down to kiss her one last time, hoping it would last him the night.


	27. Chapter 27

Hello again. I seemed to pack this chapter full when I wrote it months ago, so I hope you all enjoy! Also I just wanted to mention how much I love the reviews, and reading your ideas and what you think is going to or should happen; it inspires me so much. Thanks again!

* * *

A lone ray of light shone through the glass windows, straight onto her face, enchanting her delicate features. A laugh that sounded similar to the tinkling to delightful bells, escaped her pair of pink lips. A single strand of auburn hair fell into her face, causing her to brush it off of her rosy cheeks. A pair of golden eyes strained to stay off of the mesmerizing girl.

Chandler Goldstein upheld a futile conversation with Robert Belby, chatting on about various idle subjects. The seventh-year secretly snuck another look at Rose, just in time to see her laugh and smile enticingly at one of Elliot's simpleminded jokes. Robert, being a very heedful man, noticed all of the many brief looks Chandler shot at his mate. And he was not amused in the least bit.

"Nice chat, mate," Robert said shortly after, clapping Chandler a bit too hard on the shoulder. "But I've actually got some work I need to get done," the wizard shot his House mate a brief smile, moving away as he ignored Chandler's pestering words. Robert walked over to his friends, pulling a seat next to Elliot's wheelchair, across from Rose. The witch seemed to be trying to catch her breath, her cheeks flushed and her eyes watering. Elliot had a massive grin on his face, similar to the one he always wore when he was able to make someone laugh.

The Ravenclaw common room was empty, aside from a pair of younger girls who sat on the opposite side of the room, quietly chatting. "What did you get on Professor Grubby-Plank's exam?" Robert intruded, curious as he held his paper in his hand. Rose perked up at his question, reaching into her extraordinarily organized bag to pull out her own graded work. Handing it to him, she blushed when he yelled out, "a bloody perfect score?"

Elliot leaned over in his chair to peek at the parchment. "No way in hell. That was the most impossibly difficult test I have ever taken! Rosie, you're brilliant." The small girl shook her head modestly, taking her paper back.

"No, not at all. I just made sure to read the rest of the chapters in the book, even though she told us we didn't have to finish it. I knew it would help." The two men rolled their eyes, knowing how humble Rose was when it came to her intelligence. Sapphire eyes followed the two girls as they made their way out of the room, giggling about something unknown. Rose swallowed the lump in her throat, plucking up the courage she knew she had hiding somewhere in her.

Her hands twisted together, her nervousness showing. "Um," Rose said quietly, grabbing the pair's attention. "Could I ask you something," she inquired with a small voice, her eyes everywhere but on her company as her fingers moved to aimlessly toy with the diamond bracelet she always wore.

With a raised eyebrow, Elliot said, "of course, Rosie. Though I doubt I could tell you anything that you didn't already have stored away in that head of yours." Both he and Robert could clearly see Rose mentally debating her question, as her teeth sunk into her lip.

"Okay, but first you must promise me you won't laugh," she said with a final sigh, her eyes pleading. The two wizards nodded, curious beyond belief. Her lightly freckled cheeks were now brightly colored with blush, her neck and ears heating up with every second. She didn't want to ask her query, but it had been on her mind constantly for days, and she hadn't found the answer anywhere in the library, no matter how hard she searched.

With a deep exhale, she rushed out her question. "So, let's say a man and a woman were kissing each other for a significant amount of time. Why would it cause the man discomfort if the woman were to abruptly stop their kissing?" Elliot and Robert stared at her with their mouths wide open for a long moment, right before they busted out with loud laughter. A pout formed on Rose's face as the two men laughed at her, feeling like a fool. "Please, stop it. You promised you wouldn't laugh at me," she begged with her lips deepening their frown.

The wizards stopped when they saw the serious look on her face, breathlessly bringing their unintentional mocking to a halt. "Rosie," Elliot said as he struggled to fight a smirk. "Why on earth would you need to know this? I mean, I don't even think I can answer you-"

"Please," Rose said quickly, scooting forward from her spot on the sofa. "Please, I want to know. I tried the library, I must have searched it half a dozen times, but I couldn't find anything."

Robert choked out a laugh, shaking his head like a tired father. "It certainly isn't an answer you'll find in the books. Why haven't you asked Albus?" He suggested, trying to get the duty of answering off of himself.

Rose shook her head furiously, "oh no, that would be even worse. I couldn't possibly ask him this. Please, you two." Her wide blue eyes begged them, breaking their resistance easily.

"Oh, alright." Elliot wheeled himself closer to her, not comfortable with raising his voice above a whisper even though no one was around. "How do I go about this," he questioned in a hushed tone, to no one in particular, not believing he was explaining such a thing to a sixteen year old. "Well, Rosie, sometimes when a witch and wizard kiss for a long period of time, the man can become aroused." Rose nodded her head, looking like she wanted to start taking notes. "And often times when a man is very aroused, he gets an erection."

The girl blushed at the scandalous term, though she nodded, having read about the subject before. "Oh Merlin," Elliot mumbled, looking up as he struggled to carry on. "And the erection can begin to feel a bit painful and confining if it isn't… relieved. So, this man probably felt a discomfort because his erection hadn't been stimulated."

Behind the couple, Robert was struggling to keep his composure. "Ah," Rose said thoughtfully, her eyes far off. Her next question completely broke Robert's self control, and he laughed loudly. "How do you, um, relieve one?" Elliot seemed to have gone as far as he was willing. The handsome boy wheeled himself away, his long hair falling into his face as he shook his head.

"I'm afraid you'll have to figure that one out on your own, Rosie doll," Elliot said, ignoring Robert as he patted him on the back and congratulated him on a job well done. The newly informed girl quickly went back to her work, shoving her nose in a book. The boys joined her, completing their own work while a comfortable silence fell upon them. And the rest of the night, Elliot and Robert couldn't help but wonder about Rose, speculating about why she would be puzzled about such promiscuous things.

* * *

Ocean eyes were wide, filled with light and innocence as Rose made her way to the Headmistress, having been asked to stop by during breakfast that morning. The witch grew distracted as she passed by a huge lone window, stopping to stare outside and happily watch snow surf down from the empty white sky.

A minute later she pulled herself away, finding herself in front of the gargoyle in no time. "Bat's Blood Soup," Rose's quiet voice said kindly to the statue, and she watched as it jumped aside, and led her up the winding staircase. The witch was just about to knock on the door to Headmistress' office, when she heard a pair of voices that made her stop.

"...their magic left traces all over the borders surrounding us, Longbottom. Someone was clearly trying to reach us and get inside the castle yesterday morning, and their magic put up a great fight." Rose recognized the voice as McGonagall, and her breathing stopped all together as she listened, hating herself for eavesdropping yet unable to stop herself.

The next voice she heard was clearly Neville's, and Rose tried her best not to make a noise as she listened. "Yes, but who would want to get in? And what about the matter of Mister Gamp? Otto said he found traces of Baneberry Potion in the goblet of tea Mark drank from that morning. Someone clearly had to have slipped him the poison, but Otto said he didn't have any on hand, and he hasn't had a shortage in any of the ingredients that are used to make it. Someone had to have smuggled it in from outside."

"Who would purposely hurt that poor boy? I have never had a problem with him, and I spoke with all the professors; all of them agreed that he is a superb boy." There was a pause, and Rose heard someone sigh greatly, before Minerva spoke again. "It's a huge coincidence that the alarms to the castle just happened to be set off at the same moment Mister Gamp was slipped the poison."

But Rose could take no more at that point, and she quickly raised her fist to knock on the door. "Come in," Minerva said a moment later, and as the young witch stepped in, she came face to face with Professor Longbottom. The wizard smiled kindly down at the girl, and if Rose hadn't been listening a moment ago, she would have guessed everything was fine. Neville said a goodbye to the two witches and made his leave.

Rose then went up to the Headmistress, who wore an equally as convincing grin as the wizard. "Miss Weasley, I am glad you could come. Please sit, dear." The auburn haired girl sat herself in the chair that was still warm from the Herbology professor, posed in front of the grand desk. "Tell me, are you feeling better?" Rose nodded, and mustered her best smile, which seemed to do the trick as Minerva then began talking about what she had called her Head Girl for.

But as Rose sat there, she couldn't get herself to listen to the woman's words, her head far off and worried.

* * *

Blissful humming bounced off the cold stone walls of the castle, filling the empty halls with splendid noise of the song her father had played much too often. The musical purr came from between the closed lips of Rose Weasley, as she made her way through deserted corridors. It was quarter to eight at night, and she held a selection of heavy books in her skinny arms. She was in the castle basement, on her way to the Hufflepuff common room for a tutoring session. Rose had briefly passed Scorpius on her way, and was able to steal a kiss from him. And the short exchange left her mind far off and her eyes dreamily glazed over.

The witch turned a corner, only a corridor away from her destination, and that was when he revealed himself. "Weasley." Rose turned around, surprised as no one ever called her by her surname. A gasp escaped the girl when she saw who had called her, and she gripped her books tightly as she unintentionally took a step backwards. "Rose," the voice corrected itself, when the look of surprise was plain on her face.

Terrance Macnair stood a few feet away from the startled girl, a smirk on his dapper features. "Hello," he slowly said to her in a low voice. Rose felt her heart sped up, though she tried to convince herself she had nothing to worry about.

"Hi, T-Terrance," she stuttered as she greeted him, her knuckles white from gripping her books so tightly. Rose swallowed loudly when he took a step forward, his smile stuck in place.

Her easy to see discomfit only fueled him on. "We haven't talked in such a long time… years if I recall correctly." His shoes scuffed every time they took a step forward, and Rose's mind screamed at her to move her feet but they seemed to be chained to the floor. "How are you, Rose?" Terrance murmured her name so strongly, caressing every syllable; making love to the word. The scary wizard chuckled when Rose choked as she tried to speak, her body seeming to have forgotten how to function properly.

His dark eyes sparkled in the dim light of the halls, small wrinkles all over his young face. "Something wrong," Terrance asked, his voice mocking concern. He took another step closer to her, and Rose was forced to look away when his breath blew onto her face. Macnair was close enough to see every tantalizing feature of her pretty face. "Beautiful," he mumbled so quietly Rose almost missed it.

He slowly began reaching one of his hands up towards her, and Rose flinched away when he got close. Everything about him looked animalistic, his features were prurient. Terrance's eyes flickered dangerously, and he held his hand still right beside her cheek. " _Please,_ " she choked out, begging him. His black eyes stared into hers for several long moments, and Rose held her breath, praying he would leave.

With a loud huff, Terrance dropped his hand, taking her in a moment longer before turning swiftly on his heel and walking away. Rose let out a cry, muffled by her hand, when he finally left. Her heart seemed to beat again, and she took long slow breaths to try and regain her composure. Minutes after he was gone, Rose stared at the hall he had vanished into, her wand in her hand in case he returned.

Rose was in this same position when a seventh-year Hufflepuff found her, some time later. "Oh, are you alright?" The small girl was forced out of her trance, shoving her wand back in her pocket as a fake smile appeared on her face.

* * *

A crisp breeze blew through the small crack in the window, a few stray snowflakes traveling with it, melting as soon as they were surrounded by the warm air. A shiver ran down the spine of the girl, as she pressed her body closer to Scorpius'. The couple was sitting on her sofa, Rose half sitting on his lap, her hands tightly clasped around his neck. The wizard's large hands were all over her soft body, feeling unable to get enough of her.

Scorpius struggled to maintain his control when Rose lifted one of her legs to drape across his lap, scooting closer. The wicked witch felt liquid fire shoot down into her core as he took her bottom lip between his teeth and gently nibbled on it. Her hands fisted and tugged on his angel hair, sending sparks through him. Scorpius' large hand spread out across her back, pulling her dangerously close to him. All of her senses overwhelmed her, and she felt lecherous and aroused all at once.

His intoxicating smell was sending Rose reeling, and with every touch she felt herself grow hotter. She knew she _needed_ him, that she couldn't live without Scorpius. His husky body contrasted with her slight one magically. A huge gasp left Rose when his hot lips quickly traveled down her face, peppering kissing until he arrived at her divine throat. His delightful lips kissed her gently, then all at once they began sucking and biting and attacking her in the most wonderful way. Rose felt agitation fill her as her breasts began to feel heavy, aching to be felt by his marvelous hands.

His restraint was thinned incredibly when he felt Rose lightly begin to push her breasts against him. Scorpius' hand twitched upwards, aching to grope her, but stopped as the last thing he wanted was to frighten her. Rose let out a cry of pleasure as his mouth continued its fervent assault on her neck, bruising her in the best of ways.

Their lips had just come together again, when a repulsed yell broke through the silence. "What in the bloody hell," a disgusted voice shouted, forcing the couple to pull apart in surprise. Looking over, they both saw a sickened looking Hugo standing in the doorway, with a freckled hand covering his eyes. "That was possibly the most nauseating thing I have ever seen in my entire life," the boy yelled dramatically, peeking through his hands to make sure the coast was clear.

"Hugo!" Rose yelled, adjusting her rumpled clothes as she stood from the couch. "What are you doing here, and how did you even get in?" Scorpius silently watched as his girlfriend shouted at the ginger boy, both of their faces a matching crimson color.

The tall boy shrugged unceremoniously, his long arms flopping at his sides. "The Slytherin let me in, and it wasn't that hard to guess your password. I mean, ' _Chauncey'_ , really Rose? Honestly, if you didn't actually want me to get in, you shouldn't have chosen the name of our dog." The blonde man silently stored away that bit of knowledge, knowing it would come in handy some day.

Rose huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, you should have knocked! It was rude of you to just barge in like that."

Hugo rolled his eyes, standing defensively across from her. "You're only saying that because you were cause snogging the life out of some lad." The so called lad hid his smirk tactfully, enjoying the bicker the two were having. And for the first time since he entered, Hugo's gaze wandered over to Scorpius, who was casually posed on the couch.

Seeming to remember that she had company, Rose turned to Scorpius, and spoke to him in an abashed tone. "Would you mind if I could speak to him alone," she asked kindly. The Slytherin nodded immediately, rising off the sofa and taking a couple short strides towards her. "I'll see you tomorrow," Rose quietly spoke to him, smiling softly when he agreed and bent down to kiss her swiftly on the forehead.

A sickened look had returned to Hugo's face, though it was much more subtle than before. The lionhearted Gryffindor stared Scorpius down for a hard moment, before stepping aside to let him pass. A silence filled the air after the door was shut, as the siblings stared at each other. "Please don't tell anyone," Rose pleaded after a full minute of silence passed. Hugo sighed, looking much like his father, as he dropped his guard and strolled towards her.

"Why? Are you dating that wanker," the simple boy asked, moving to sit on her bed. Rose timidly moved next to him, not knowing what to say.

Her blue eyes were large and her hands were clasped in her lap. "I want to tell mum and dad about him before the entire castle finds out. I want them to hear about him from me, not anyone else." The Gryffindor nodded, seeing the sense in her request.

"You like him then?" The young wizard asked, genuinely interested. And his answer was obvious once the bright smile appeared on Rose's face. Hugo had seen that smile many times in his life, but never had looked as beautiful on her as it did then.

Rose's grin seemed stuck to her lips as she spoke. "Yes, I truly do. He's absolutely incredible, I promise you." Hugo looked at his sister for an instant, realizing that the wizard she spoke of was for her.

Clearing his throat, he then said, "alright, then." And when he saw the confused look on her face, he continued. "I won't tell anyone. But you have to promise me you will tell mum and dad about him soon."

A squeal escaped Rose, as she jumped across her bed to hug her brother delightedly. "Oh, I promise, Hugh. Thank you!" The boy hugged her back, pleased just to see her happy. The pair spent the rest of the night sat on Rose's sofa, eating sweets and laughing until their stomachs ached. And it was times like that, in which Rose realized how thankful she was to have her Hugo.


	28. Chapter 28

This chapter is definitely a lot darker than my usual style, but I feel a little bit of wickedness is necessary in all stories; as all of our lives have similar distressing times. It is also on the shorter side, but is highly important. Don't be too upset with me… I promise the next post will be much more uplifting, along with something very exciting. Please review, and enjoy.

* * *

Standing in front of the tall mirror, she ran a brush through her long wavy hair. The silky auburn locks sighing as the comb stroked through it, shining when the light hit it. Rose adjusted the grey skirt that was fastened around her slim waist, tucking her crisp white shirt into it. She had just slipped on her shoes when she heard a tapping noise coming from the other room. Exiting her bathroom she went to the open glass window, noting the lone letter that laid on the window sill. Curious, Rose grabbed the envelope and peeled it open, gasping when crumpled flower petals fell from it.

All at once, a crippling fear set into her gut, and her stomach churned painfully. With shaking hands Rose opened the note and read the plain handwriting. ' _I'm watching you, we will meet shortly. My dearest rose.'_ A single tear slipped down her face, and her mouth hung open as she choked and gasped on air.

Her knees knocked painfully on the floor as she dropped down, but she felt nothing. Rose's heart pumped dangerously fast as the letter fell out of her hand, landing softly on the cold stone floor, taunting her. Her chest felt tight and her head felt like it was about to explode; her fear had never been so real.

* * *

A lone bell rang out loudly, signaling the start of a new class period. A large hand ran through pale blonde hair nervously, as grey eyes anxiously looked around the room. Scorpius felt his blood pressure rise when he noticed that his witch was missing from the class. He had noticed she didn't come to breakfast but thought nothing from it, then she missed lunch and he had began to worry, but now he was panicked.

Professor Bobbin started her lesson soon after, and Scorpius allowed a sigh to escape him when moments later a flustered looking Rose entered. The witch apologize profusely to the professor, who simply smiled and allowed her to go to her seat. From the second she entered, Scorpius could tell something was wrong with her.

Throughout the entire long class the wizard kept his eye on Rose, completely blocking out the sound of Melinda Bobbin. The lesson seemed to pass painfully slow, and Scorpius felt his tolerance quickly melt away. By the end of the two hours, he was practically buzzing in his seat, itching to talk to his Rose and find out what was wrong. Scorpius waited for all the other students to file out first, watching Rose leave in a gloomy mess. The tall man quickly ducked behind a corridor wall when he heard her sweet musical voice not far ahead.

"No really, Albus. I promise I'm fine, just a little tired." Scorpius heard Potter's voice mumble something. "Yes, I'm sure. Now go on, you have Quidditch practice right after dinner." And after an exaggerated sigh, he heard clipped footsteps fade away.

After waiting a moment, Scorpius walked around the corner, finding his beauty. Rose was leaned up against a wall, a hand clutched to her chest as she breathed loudly. "Rose," he whispered when he saw her, reaching a hand out when she jumped back. Her blue eyes were glossed over and her face was pale as it lacked the normal blush they had. The wizard could practically see the fear and uneasiness seeping from her.

Scorpius felt his heart skip a beat as Rose smiled brightly when she spotted him. "Oh, Scorpius," she mumbled out, swiftly moving forward into his open arms. His spicy and familiar scent instantaneously calmed her perfectly. "I'm so glad to see you," her words were muffled as her face was buried against his chest.

"What's wrong," the blonde asked in an apprehensive voice, his eyes stuck on her. His hand on her waist rubbed her soothingly, knowing how to mollify her. "Where were you today? Are you alright," the questions flew out of his mouth, and he didn't realize how perturbed he sounded.

When she didn't move, he slipped his hand under her chin and forced her eyes up to him. "Rose," he whispered gently, his eyes searching her face for any emotion. When she realized how worried Scorpius was for her, Rose broke.

Her pretty blue eyes glossed over, and a fat tear slipped out and slowly slid down her cheek. "I just can't handle it anymore," her voice was desperate and it killed Scorpius. Rose's small hands clutched his shirt, as if it would take away her fear. If any other witch began crying in front of the wizard, he knew he would have panicked, but it was his girl and he felt nothing but the urge to fix her.

"Handle what?" He asked, confused. More tears escaped her, and she shook her head as she buried it back into his chest. Realizing they were still in the middle of the corridor, he grabbed her hand and led them back to her dorm. The tears eventually stopped, and by the time they had reached her room Rose was reduced to sniffles. Scorpius, having been working on his wandless magic, lit the fireplace to help with her occasional shivers. Noticing the piece of parchment lying on the floor, he let go of her hand and walked over to pick it up.

"What's this," Scorpius asked, bring it up to read the short words inked onto the paper. Realization dawned on him quickly, and anger filled him instantly. "Is this from him? When did you get it?" He shouted at her in rage, his eyes darkening as his fist closed around the threat. Rose flinched back a step, her eyes beginning to water again when his yells reached her.

Scorpius instantly softened when he saw how frightened she was, as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm sorry, Rosie," he apologized, and Rose smiled when she heard her childhood nickname. "But you need to tell me right now if this is from him."

Her silky curls bounced around her as she nodded her head quickly. "I can't handle it anymore; any of this. He has never done this before, he's never contacted me this much. I know he's coming, I can _feel_ it. And I'm so tired of this," Rose said, her hands motioning between them. Scorpius' stomach tighten painfully, and he felt as if his worst dreams were coming alive. "I don't want to hide from people anymore. I love being with you, every minute I spend with you makes me so happy, and I don't want to keep it a secret anymore. I want to eat meals with you in front of people, and walk in the halls with you, and hold hands and kiss you without worrying."

The tall man physically let out a loud breath, glad she wasn't telling him she wanted to leave him. Scorpius knew how she felt, he wanted all the same things. "Then let's stop hiding, let's tell everyone."

Rose shook her head again, feeling more frustrated then she had in her entire life. "I want to tell my parents before I tell the entire school, I owe it to them."

"Tell them, we're going home in a couple short weeks for vacation. Tell them then, and we can stop all the hiding." Rose nodded, knowing that she would reveal her relationship to them then, and that it would all be well… or she hoped. "And as for _him,_ you're safe here. No one can get to you in the castle. And I promise I won't ever let anyone close enough to hurt you." Taking a step forward, he embraced her tightly, leaning down to inhale her sweet scent. After a moment, he said, "we have to take this to McGonagall. She needs to know-"

"No!" Rose shouted quickly, snatching the letter as she silently lit it on fire and let the ashes settle onto the floor. Scorpius was shocked, but could clearly see the panic on her face. "If we tell her, she will be forced to tells others. And everyone will make a big deal about it like they did before, and I won't let that happen!" Her ocean eyes were filling with tears again, and her hands shook by her sides. "It ruined my family. Everyone was constantly distraught and no one trusted me to be on my own. My parents hardly let me come to Hogwarts after it happened." Her breaths were coming out in pants, and her eyes were wide with fear, as she gently shook and shivered.

Nodding, Scorpius agreed. "Fine, we won't tell her. But you need to calm down," he said gently, knowing she was just working herself up towards a breakdown with every moment. Placing a hand on her back, he led her over to the couch, grabbing the book that was on her bedside table on the way. Sitting down first, Scorpius allowed her to crawl into his lap and snuggle against his chest, her breathing still ragged. Draping a soft blanket around her, he opened the book to the page she had marked, and began reading the words aloud to her.

An hour later, after dinner had passed, a large plate appeared on the coffee table in front of them. The plate was full of different fruit and snacks, having been sent over by the House elves. An achy Rose reached out on the table to grab the full plate, placing it on her lap as she sat back against Scorpius' chest. The small witch giggled when she heard his stomach growl loudly, picking up random foods and feeding them to him until the plate was empty. And he thanked her with a single kiss to her throat, his breaths tickling her

His soothing baritone voice began reading again shortly after, lulling all of the bad feelings and thoughts out of Rose. The clock tolled when it was eight o'clock, and Scorpius looked down to find Rose peacefully asleep on his chest. Gently nudging her, he found that waking his witch was much more a difficult task then he thought it was. After several more gentle pushes, Rose awoke to Scorpius hollering her name softly in her ear.

A beautiful smile appeared on her face, as she snuggled into his chest a moment longer. Sitting up, Rose stretched her arms high over her head, feeling much better than before. "What time is it," her angelic voice asked. Scorpius smiled as he stroked a piece of hair off of her rosy cheeks.

"Eight," he answered simply, rubbing his thumb across her soft skin. A deep chuckle rumbled out of him when her eyes doubled in size, as she disbelievingly looked at the clock. "You sleep like the dead," Scorpius commented, adoring every inch of her. "You should probably get to bed." Rose nodded, getting off of him and allowing him to get up.

Scorpius stretched his tall body out which ached slightly from sitting in one position for so long, turning back to see Rose with a pout on her delicious lips. "Um," she said quietly, her hands twisted together as she built up her courage. Her thin fingers moved to toy with the diamond bracelet he had given to her, which she had yet to remove. "Will you stay," her pretty voice asked, as she grabbed one of his hands and closed it between both of her tiny ones.

Knowing it was impossible for him to say no to her, he nodded, bending down to kiss her luscious lips. "Of course," he whispered to her, kissing her on each of her cheeks before he pulled away. Rose smiled brilliantly up at him, never having been more thankful for a single human before. After thanking him she grabbed her pajamas, quickly making her way into the bathroom to change. Scorpius let out a chuckle when she tripped on her own feet as she sped off, adoring his little uncoordinated witch.

Left with nothing to change into, Scorpius began to strip; stopping when he was left in only his grey khaki pants. He knew it would be more comfortable to sleep without them on, but he didn't want to scare Rose, or make her think anything. Hearing the bathroom door creak open, Scorpius turned and felt his heart begin to race when he saw his girl.

Standing a couple feet away from him was Rose, wearing only the grey jumper he had lent her months ago. Her long legs, skinny and tanned, peaked out from where the sweater landed above her knees. Scorpius swallowed loudly, paralyzed on the spot. Her beauty seemed to radiate from within her, and she looked like a goddess. "Is that the one I gave you?" Scorpius asked, though he already knew the answer.

The witch blushed bashfully, nodding as she pushed some hair behind one of her ears. "Yes, I know I should have returned it to you a while ago, but I kept forgetting. Plus, it smells like you," she admitted, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Scorpius smiled at her confession, "keep it. In fact, you can take as many as you'd like." Rose smiled and nodded, as she began to lock and shut all the doors and windows, as she did every night. Observing his nudity for the first time, Rose felt her mouth go dry, his ruggedly handsome beauty never ceasing to amaze her. Her eyes admired the way the dark ink covering his torso moved and stretched as his body flexed. After putting out the fire, she moved to peel back her soft covers, smiling at Scorpius shyly before she got in.

Following her lead, Scorpius laid on the other side of her bed, admiring her timidness. The wizard knew that he had never meet anyone so pure and innocent, and it only made him want her more. Rose felt herself blush at the thought of sleeping in a bed with a half naked man. Magically blowing out all of the remaining candles, Rose scooted over in the large bed, until she was next to Scorpius. Sensing her uncertainty, the wizard reached over to grab her slim waist, and gently pulled her until she was flush against him.

His hot skin easily warmed her, as her soft and lithe body contrasted with his well-built one immaculately. Rose moved to lean her head on his chest, laying a petite hand on his muscular stomach. Scorpius wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him, as his hand stroked her. With her ear pressed up against his chest, Rose could hear his steady breathing and strong heartbeat, and she felt it calm her immediately.

Closing her eyes, she listened to his heart, mumbling, "goodnight, Scorpius." And moments later she was fast asleep, all worries she had earlier long gone. Looking down, Scorpius admired her beauty, realizing for the hundredth time just how completely lucky he was. Her long eyelashes laid on her cheek, and her lips were slightly turned up into a smile, as steady and slow breaths escaped her. Her silky honey locks were spread out around her head on the pillows, looking like a halo.

Leaning down Scorpius buried his nose in her hair, kissing the top of her head as he deeply inhaled her glorious scent. Rose snuggled closer to him in her sleep, feeling safe as ever in his embrace. And slowly he feel asleep there with his witch in his arms, getting the best night sleep he had ever had.


	29. Chapter 29

Hello again. I am glad to see not many of you are too mad at me for last chapter. As promised this one is much more uplifting, also a very awaited and significant event occurs. Please let me your ideas on it, thanks!

* * *

" _Purity_ ", the word felt strange as it fell off her tongue. The entrance was granted for her at once, and she took small steps inside, her nerves growing with every second. Vicious and inquisitive eyes watched as she timidly entered the cold room, her fingers pulling at the dazzling bracelet on her wrist. She was moments from turning around when someone hollered her voice, "Rose!"

A smiling Zoee was standing from one of the sofas, waving a hand as she made her way over to the small girl. "What are you doing here, missy?" Rose smiled back, explaining that Scorpius and her had been on their way to the common room and how he had told her to go up to his room, when he was stopped by Professor Blackband. "Ah, well come on, I'll lead the way. No need to stay with these foul snakes for any longer." The Ravenclaw laughed at the girls poke at her own house, choosing not to tell Zoee that she had already been to Scorpius' dorm.

"Not to embarrass you or anything," the tall witch said as they descended the stairs, slowing her pace as to not out run the shorter girl. "But I think you're real good for Scorpius. I mean, I've noticed a change in him, a good change that is. I'm glad he's found you." Rose couldn't help but grin at the girl's kind words, as she felt her heart swell.

The auburn haired girl bashfully blushed, "so am I." Zoee gave her a friendly nudge with her elbow, causing them to both laugh.

They stopped once they reached Scorpius' door, and the Slytherin dramatically gestured to it. "Here you are," pausing as Rose thanked her. "No problem, have fun with Malfoy," Zoee said with a promiscuous wink. A grand blushed colored her face as Rose pushed the door open to the dorm. The room was empty, as Scorpius promised it would be, and the girl took small footsteps as she wander her way around the space.

Her feet shuffled as she walked towards Scorpius' space, smiling at his slightly disorganized desk. Rose let out a loud squeal when her foot caught the edge of a rug, causing her to tumbled downward. She reached her arms out in front of her, hoping to grab onto something. But she only made matters worse when she pushed an item from his desk, and heard it crash on the floor. Landing with a loud thud, a yelp of pain escaped the girl as her knees painfully collided with the stone floor.

Rose whined quietly as she brought her knees up and cradled them, pushing back the tears that were threatening to come. No less than three seconds later, the door to the room opened with a bang, and Scorpius was suddenly at Rose's side. "Are you alright," he asked in a voice that held nothing but concern. He was knelt on the floor next to her, one of his hand behind her back, the other hovering over the now red knees.

"I'm fine," she said in a small voice, and Scorpius could tell she was fighting tears. "I think I broke something," Rose admitted guiltily, looking back towards the pile of inky broken glass. "I'm sorry," she hurried out, turning towards it to wave her wand over the mess. After several tries, Rose gave up.

Scorpius sighed, "it's a family heirloom. There's too much old magic in it for it to be restored." The blonde began cleaning up, stopping immediately when he heard a small sniff. Looking towards Rose, he instantly regret his words. The small girl had tears trailing down her face, and her lip was about to bleed from how hard her teeth were biting into it. Her eyes were large and sad, and he realized how truly guilty she felt.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I should have been more careful," Rose hiccupped, and Scorpius thought he had never seen anything so heart breaking in his entire life. Moving towards her, he swung one of his arms under her bruised knees, the other going behind her back. And with amazing strength, Scorpius stood up with Rose placed carefully in his arms, as he carried her towards his bed.

Gently placing her down, Scorpius sat beside her, using his thumb to wipe away all the tears from her face. "Rosie," his voice was kind as he brushed stray hairs behind her ear. "It's fine, I don't care about the stupid ink pot. To tell you the truth, I didn't even like it all that much, I promise." The upset girl quickly stopped her tears, much to Scorpius' joy. The man leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, asking her how her knees felt.

With a shrug, she replied, "I'm fine." Turning on his bed until she faced him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him close so she could hug him tightly. "I'm sorry for crying," she mumbled into his neck, as his hands rubbed up and down her back. "I think I'm just full of nerves over tomorrow."

"You'll do fine," Scorpius said, pulling back until the tip of their noses touched. "After all, you're the most brilliant witch I know." Rose looked up to him, meeting his eyes, and slowly their faces were brought together. The kiss started out slow and sweet, but it quickly progressed to a heated lip lock. The girl kissed him with a fervent passion, her arms pulling him as close as possible. And yet, it still didn't feel close enough.

She wanted more, but she didn't know how to get it. She wanted all of him, she wanted to completely engulf herself in his heavenly kisses. Scorpius felt himself come to life as he kissed her, he wanted nothing more than to stay like that with her for hours and days and years. Their tongues came out to tangle with each other, and there chests were so close together, they could feel the others heartbeat.

Scorpius had just pulled Rose onto his lap for her to sit astride him, when the door to the room opened yet again. "Whoa," Luciano shouted as he entered his dorm and saw the couple heatedly snogging on Scorpius' bed. The two pulled apart as soon as they heard the man, looking up to see him covering his eyes with a hand. Rose blushed furiously, as Scorpius sat and looked innocent as if nothing had just happened. "Sorry, mate. I didn't know you had little Rose up here with you."

"It's alright," Scorpius said as he stood from his bed, Rose trying to hide behind him in order to calm her face. "I need to get her back to her dorm, anyway." Reaching back, Scorpius grabbed her hand, and pulled her so she stood next to him. Luciano laughed when the small witch gave him a shy wave, her cheeks as pink as candy.

The Ravenclaw said her goodbye as she left with Scorpius, glad to get away from the man who had just caught her kissing her boyfriend. "Why did we leave so soon, it's only eight," Rose asked when they were passing through her common room to her dorm.

Waiting until the door was closed behind them, Scorpius answered. "You need as much sleep as you can get for tomorrow, Rose. I refuse to be the reason you're sleep deprived in the morning." The witch instantly frowned, which was the exact response Scorpius had expected.

"No," she whined. "I don't need twelve hours of sleep, Scorpius, that's absurd. Besides," Rose said, moving forward to wrap her arms around his middle. "I don't want you to go yet." Scorpius looked down at the extraordinarily beautiful girl wrapped around him, and fought to stay strong.

Shaking his head, Scorpius bit back a chuckle. "I promise we can spend as much time together as you want, _after_ tomorrow. But a for now, I want you in your pajamas and in that bed in the next five minutes!" The wizard mimicked the strong voice his father used when he was a naughty child, though he was kind enough that Rose knew he was only joking.

With an adorable pout on her face, she stomped over to her bureau to pick out clothes, and went on into the bathroom. Three minutes passed by, and the witch appeared, scrubbed clean for the night. Scorpius almost lost all of his self control when he saw Rose just wearing a thin night gown, which showed off an ample amount of her luscious legs. "Come on then, doll," Scorpius said, clearing his throat unceremoniously.

Rose's light voice asked, "must I?" Scorpius only nodded, a silly crooked grin on his face. The girl moseyed over to her wizard, again, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Her chin was resting on his hard chest, and Scorpius smirked at her efforts. "But I don't want to," she whined.

A loud shriek escaped her when Scorpius suddenly picked her up by the waist and tossed her up over his broad shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Scorpius!" She yelled, laughing as he effortlessly carried her to her bed. The man grinned when Rose was finally tucked beneath her covers, as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I feel like a child, Scorpius." The man laughed and rubbed his hand over her cheek to get her to smile.

"Your anything but a child," he said, bending down to leave a tender kiss on her lips. "Good luck tomorrow, I'll see you after. And don't worry too much about it, I know you'll do perfectly." Rose thanked him, her eyes already beginning to droop as the effects of sleep came to her. Kissing her one last time, Scorpius rose from her bed. "Goodnight," he said to his sleeping beauty.

A huge grin was plastered to his face when she sleepily replied, "goodnight, Scorpius."

* * *

"Come on, Rosie, you've got to eat up!" Albus motivatingly urged on, shoving the half eaten plate towards her. Rose made a face at the plate, already having filled her stomach to the top. Hugo nodded from his seat next to Albus, piling yet another pancake on her plate, causing Lily to laugh.

A small hand came up to push the plate far away, as Rose reached up to take a sip of her juice. "I've eaten plenty! Worry about yourselves," guilt filled her when she heard the slight rude tone to her voice. "I'm sorry, my nerves are just on edge, and you two aren't really helping." Lily reached over and patted her back, a sympathetic look on her face. She had been there as Rose grew up, and she knew just how much pressure was put on this exam.

"You're right, we'll stop," Hugo said, a silly grin on his face. Rose huffed out a breath, thanking them. With a glance at the time, she realized she only had four minutes until she was expected somewhere. "Time to head out?" The wide eyed boy said, observing the time for himself. "Well, let's be on our way then."

So, it was then that Rose and her extraordinarily supportive family headed out. When the Ravenclaw was a few feet away from the doors, she snuck a glance towards the Slytherin table. Rose felt her worries melt away when she saw Scorpius staring back at her with a devilishly handsome smile on his face, blushing to herself when he sent her a quick wink of encouragement.

Lily and Hugo chatted loudly as they led the way, there hands flailing all about as they explained one thing or another. Albus walked beside the nervous girl, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Nervous," the black haired man asked, and laughed when Rose nodded with huge eyes. "Don't be, Rosie. You're hands down the smartest and most talented witch I have ever met. I know you'll knock this one out of the park." Rose nodded, taking deep breaths as she soothed herself.

"Here you are," Lily said happily when they arrived in front of the transfiguration classroom, which was being borrowed for the day. "Good luck, Rosie." the redhead said, as she stepped forward to give her cousin a large embrace, which ended in a giant group hug. Thanking them again, Rose slowly left them in the corridor and began to enter the room. As she pushed the heavy doors open, she wished more than anything that Scorpius could be there with her.

The classroom had been transformed for her, with all of the desks vanished but a single one in the middle of the room. The small girl felt herself calm, when she spotted Neville Longbottom standing at the front of the room, next to two other men. The old family friend smiled kindly at her, as the three of them moved forward to greet her.

"Good morning, Miss Weasley," one of the very official looking man said with a small grin. "My name is Lance Burke, and this here is Marcus Flint, and we are both members of the Wizengamot. We were sent here today to administrate your test, along with Professor Longbottom." Rose shook both of the men's hands, moving to sit in the desk when they motioned for her to.

Clearing his throat, Mister Burke held a piece of parchment before himself and read off it. "On today; January eighteenth, 2024, Miss Rose Blaire Weasley will be completing the _Test of Knowledge_ , created by the Ministry of Magic in the ninth century. This test has not been modified or changed in any way since it was first created. Miss Weasley will be the fourth wizard in history to take this test. This test has been taken by the following wizards; Miss Rowena Ravenclaw of Scotland, Mister Gellert Grindelwald of Hungary, and Mister Tom Riddle of England. Miss Ravenclaw holds the highest score, neither Mister Grindelwald nor Mister Riddle were successful in surpassing her score.

"This test will include a total of two hundred and fifty questions on all twelve subjects; transfiguration, charms, potions, history of magic, defense against the dark arts, astronomy, herbology, arithmancy, muggle studies, divination, ancient runes, and care of magical creatures. This test will be completed on the parchment with the ink and quill provided, and no section of the test is oral. During this test Miss Weasley will have to demonstrate a total of twenty-five different spells, and successfully brew one potion. Miss Weasley will have six hours to complete this test."

With every word that fell out of his mouth, Rose became more and more nervous, and soon her hands clutched the edge of her desk. "Are you ready to begin, Miss Weasley," the man called Marcus asked, and Rose nodded, wishing she were anywhere else. "You may begin, good luck."

Four and a half long hours later, Rose was answering her very last question. The clock ticked loudly, and the sound of her quill scratching the paper filled the silence of the room. The three wizards sat at a table in front of the room, all eyes glues to her. Her wand had been confiscated, since she had already completed all of her spells and brewed her potion. Rose ached to get up and stretch her legs, and her brain felt fried as it had been working its hardest for the past few hours.

With one last mark on the paper, the witch set her quill down, looking up to the officials. "Are you finished," Mister Burke asked, and Rose confirmed. "Would you like a moment to look over your answers, Miss Weasley?" When she shook her head, the man raised his grey eyes brows, and nodded.

All three wizards stood and made their way towards her. Mister Flint collected her test, stowing it in a large envelope, along with the quill she used as he gave her back her wand. His dark eyes then set on her, and he began speaking in his bored voice. "You will have your test results in forty eight hours, in which they will be sent to Headmistress McGonagall. It was a pleasure, Miss Weasley." The two Ministry official shook her hand one last time, before apparating on the spot.

"Well?" Neville said after a minute, with a huge grin plastered onto his face. "How was it, Rosie?" Rose smiled at the friendly face, glad the exam was over with.

The small girl nodded as she released a held in breath. "It was difficult, I'll admit that. But I think I did alright. I suppose I'll just have to wait until Monday and see." Neville could see the nervousness in the girl's blue eyes, and felt a tinge of sympathy for her.

Moving forward, he patted his hand on her back. "I'm proud of you, Rosie, and I'm sure everyone else will be too. Now, would you care to a company to the Gryffindor common room? No one has checked on my House for several hours, and that can't be good." Rose laughed loudly, smiling back at her professor as she agreed.


	30. Chapter 30

Here we go! In this chapter we learn the results of Rose's test… what do you think; did she do well?

* * *

"Alright then, dearie, you have a good day now." Rose smiled and waved back at the old man as she left his shop, a heavy bag in hand. The witch pulled her coat tighter around her, as a cold gust of wind bit into her cheeks, blowing her hair all about.

A thrill of excitement struck Rose as she thought of her recent purchases; a new helmet, along with leather shin and arm guards, and loads of different candies. Albus' birthday was five days away, and after talking to Headmistress she was able to gain permission to take a quick trip down to Hogsmeade for the occasion. She also bought a small present for her boyfriend, hoping to make up for one of her mistakes. McGonagall had wanted the younger girl to take an escort with her, but Rose promised she would be back within the hour.

And true to her word, Rose was headed back to the castle with twenty minutes to spare. The girl tucked her hands into her pockets as she listened to the sound of her shoes tapping against the cobblestone road. The small village was practically empty, save for the Three Broomsticks which happened to be filled with late dinner inhabitants.

Her skinny legs walked fast down the deserted streets, trying to get out of the cold and back into the warmth as fast as possible. The witch was thinking of how much she hoped Albus would like his present, when a loud noise distracted. "Oi, beautiful!" Rose stopped her feet and turned on the spot, finding a group of four men standing outside the popular pub, grinning and wolf-whistling at her.

"Care for a few drinks, darling?" One of the men asked with a wicked smile, holding up his own bottle of liquor as his friends laughed loud and obnoxiously. When Rose shook her head and began to turn away, he yelled at her from across the street again. "Oh, come on. One little drink won't hurt ya."

Rose felt a bad feeling settle into her, as she heard the man's words slur together and prove how obviously drunk he was. "No, thank you," her sweet voice said. The witch was about to run from the spot when suddenly the group of men had crossed the street and were approaching her at a dangerously fast pace. "I r-really have to go-"

Her words were cut off by laughter, and Rose began to panic as her mind flashed back to the memory of when Scorpius had saved her from the man in the alley. Her panic rose to an all time high when she realized that her savior was nowhere around. "She's a real beauty, ain't she, Mickey?" One of the men came and stood inches away from her face, and Rose flinched back when the stench of alcohol rolled off his breath.

The same man from before, the ring leader it seemed, smirked and agreed. "It makes me wonder what's under all those robes." All of the men laughed and shuffled closer to her until they had Rose perfectly trapped between their built and strong bodies. "How's about you give us a little peek under there, love?"

Rose's heart was pounding, and her brain seemed to leave her as she tried to think of any possible way out of her situation. "Please," she stuttered out, not knowing what else to do but plead with the men. Another roll of mocking laughter escaped the group, causing Rose to shutter and pull her arms over her chest, praying to all the gods above.

"There's no way we're letting such a pretty thing like you out of our sight." The small witch flinched when the man lazily dropped his bottle and heard the glass shatter into hundreds of pieces. "Now, be a good little girl, and let us see what your hiding."

" _No, stop!_ " Rose screamed out when the wizard reached forward for the front of her coat, hoping someone would hear. The witch's eyes grew huge when one of the other men shoved his hand over her mouth and pushed Rose so she was against a brick wall, smashing her head hard against it.

All of the men crowded around her, and Rose knew she had no more hope left in her. She pushed and pulled against the man when he settled his hands on her waist, trying her best to get herself free. "I'll be quick, Mickey, then you can have your turn with her."

Rose felt a tear escape her eyes when she heard the man, wishing to be dead rather than where she was. Suddenly though, as if Merlin himself heard her prayers, a loud voice came from behind the men. "Hey, what in the hell are you lot doing? Get your bloody hands off her!"

The man shuffled away from Rose, causing the girl to cry out, seeping to the floor in a pile. She looked up and saw Paige, Madame Rosmerta's eldest daughter and current landlady of the pub. The woman was in her late twenties and was known to be as tough as her mother. Paige whipped her wand out and pointed it at the wizards, "you go on, now! I don't want to ever see your faces around here again, you got it?"

The woman's loud voice scared the drunken men off right away, and a moment later the witches were the only two in the cold street way. "Are you alright, dearie," Paige asked in a concerned voice as she walked over to Rose and extended a hand out to help the shaken witch back to her feet.

"Thank you so much," Rose replied, not bothering to answer her question. "I thought they were going to…" The young girl's words faded off, and the bartender simply nodded, lending the girl a sweet and friendly smile.

"It's no problem at all, you've got to watch out for bunches like those. But anyways, you should be getting back to the castle now, before anymore rude men spot ya." Rose thanked the witch once more, not believing her luck as she picked up her bag she had dropped and rushed back to her home.

* * *

Her eyes glowed as she stared into the burning torches that lit the dark halls. Rose wiped her sweaty hands on the side of her uniform skirt, tensely clutching it in her small fist. She was making her way to the Headmistress' office, having received a note earlier that day that asked of her presence later in the evening. And Rose, being the ever so brilliant girl she was, knew exactly why she was needed. "Sugar mice," she witch said when she approached the statue, jumping on the staircase as it curled upward.

Knocking softly on the door, a voice was quick to grant her entrance. Going into the room, Rose blushed deeply when she tripped on her own foot and stumbled in. Though she quickly recover and was shocked when she spotted her parents sat comfortably in McGonagall's office. An excited grin spread itself across her face, as she quickly made her way over to them. "Daddy," Rose said happily when Ron stood to embrace his daughter, Hermione moving to do the same thing.

"Good evening, Rose," Minerva said from her spot in one of the five chairs surrounding a circular table. And for the first time, the young witch noticed the man sitting to the Headmistress' left. The wizard had dark grey hair, and his face wrinkled as he grinned at her. Moving over a seat, Rose's father allowed her to sit between her two parents. Once she was seated and settled, McGonagall introduced the formal looking man. "Rose, I would like you to meet Mister Hynes, he works in the office of the Minister for Magic."

The man's smile only grew, and he resembled a silly child whom had just received their Hogwarts letter. "Miss Rose Weasley, what an immense pleasure it is to be finally meeting you. Let me tell you, I have heard many great things about you, young lady. And, I must convey my deepest apologies, on having been unable to be here the other day for your exam." The man reached over the table and gave the girl a tight handshake. "I suppose we should get to the reason we're all here today, yes?"

Hermione reached a hand over and placed it on her daughter's back, rubbing it in circles as she tried to sooth her. Leaning over in his chair, Ron whispered so just Rose could hear, "it's fine, Rosie. We're behind you no matter what." Rose nodded at his words, and Minerva smiled at the family.

Clearing his throat, Mister Hynes pulled a bright red envelope out of his leather briefcase. And at a painfully slow pace, the man torn the seal open, carefully pulling out several sheets of crisp white paper. Peering down through his crooked glasses, the man read the words inked onto the parchment, his face not revealing any emotion. "On January 18, at eight thirty o'clock, Miss Rose Blaire Weasley completed the _Test of Knowledge_ in four and a half hours. The exam was supervised by Mister Lance Burke, Mister Marcus Flint, and Mister Neville Longbottom. Miss Weasley was the fourth wizard in history to complete the exam."

Rose's fingers curled around her bracelet, and she wished she had Scorpius' hand to hold. "Are you ready to hear your score," Mister Hynes asked. Rose nodded her head as her mother's fingers ran through her long hair, calming her expertly. "Miss Rose Blaire Weasley, at the age of sixteen, you now hold the highest score on the _Test of Knowledge."_ Rose felt her jaw drop, and Minerva held back a laugh when she saw matching looks of shock on Ron and Hermione's face.

"Miss Weasley, you received a nearly perfectly score, collecting 480 points out of 500. You have scored higher than all three wizards whom previous took the exam; Mister Gellert Grindelwald scored a 400, Mister Tom Riddle scored a 415, and Miss Rowena Ravenclaw scored a 465. Congratulations Miss Weasley." Rose felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off her chest, yet at the same time she was frightened as being labeled _the_ brightest witch in all of history. Looking over to her father, she saw him with one of the biggest smiles he had ever worn. And her mother was practically weeping with pride, as tears leaked from her eyes.

Hermione got out of her chair at once, moving and crouching down in front of Rose's chair to give her a massive hug. "Oh, my little girl. I'm so proud of you, sweetheart." Her mother wiped away her silly tears, planting several joyous kisses all over Rose's face.

"Well, Rose, I must tell you that I have never been more honored as having you as one of my students. Congratulations," Minerva said with a wink, her own eyes watering in the slightest. Rose was still being bear hugged by her father when the ministry official spoke up.

Mister Hynes sat with his hands folded on top of the table, his ecstatic grin still in place. "Miss Weasley, I have never met anyone truly as intelligent as yourself. Now, I know you are probably still very whipped from the exam you took two short days ago, but I simply must ask something of you." Ron sat up in his chair, his eyes trained on the man with a skeptical look on his face.

The old wizard silently levitated the wizard chess set that sat in Minerva's office over to the table. "I was wondering if you would allow me to see for myself how truly amazing your mind is." Rose quickly nodded, excited to see what he was planning. "Alright, here is a regular chess set with all sixteen original pieces. And with me, I have another forty-eight pieces, half black and half white, which is enough to fill in the entire board, correct?" Again, Rose nodded, her bottom lip now between her teeth as she paid immense attention to what the man said.

"As you can see, I am now randomly sorting the pieces all throughout the board, in no particular order. Now, I would like for you to memorize the position of all sixty-four pieces, for the next two minutes." The small witch did as she was told, just as the man started her time. Rose's eyes flicked all over the board as she chewed her bottom lip, looking at each and every piece. "Time," the man said and Rose looked up to him. "Now, Miss Weasley if you wouldn't mind, could you place this blindfold over your eyes and recall as many pieces as you can."

Taking the black material from the man, Rose had her mother tie it tightly around her head, blocking her eyesight. Then, as instructed, the small witch began recalling each and every chess piece in order. After a tense minute, Rose pulled her blindfold off, and saw Mister Hynes looking at her with a face of marvel. "Remarkable! Absolutely remarkable! Miss Weasley that was stupendous. I've never seen a brain work as quickly and well as yours."

All of her peers were smiling at Rose, each proud of her in their own way. "Ah, now I'm sure you would like to get back to your day." Miser Hynes said as he stood. "It was my pleasure meeting you Miss Weasley, and I look forward to seeing you in the future. Oh, and congratulations!" After saying farewell to all the others, the man grabbed his briefcase and disappeared into the fireplace.

"Rosie, darling," Hermione said once the man was gone, her smile seeming to be permanently stuck on her face. "We're so happy for you." And in that moment, as her parents both embraced her with all their love, Rose had never been more pleased with herself.

* * *

"Well shit," Albus swore loudly. "I've been telling you this whole time, haven't I? Should have put some money on it." The wizard had a massive grin on his face, soaking in the fact that his cousin was the most brilliant witch.

Rose frowned instantly, looking around them to make sure no one had heard. "Al, shush! I told you already, I don't want people knowing about this. It's no big deal-"

"No big deal? Rosie, you're as brilliant as Merlin himself. I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty big bloody deal." After seeing the stern yet pleading look on her face, Albus sighed. "Oh, alright. If you don't want anyone to know, I'll respect your wishes." Rose smiled at him, thanking him and laughing when he nudged her with his elbow. "Just know that if I were you, I'd be telling everyone that would listen."

The witch giggled picturing him doing so as she sipped on her water. "I don't doubt you would." A couple minutes later Hugo and Lily joined the couple, in which they both were informed on the news, having to promise not to tell anyone. Breakfast went on merrily, and all was well for Rose, that was until the owls came.

"Hey, Rosie," Nathaniel Wood yelled from a few seats down at the Gryffindor table. "Congrats! I always knew you were smart, but just not _this_ smart." The boy was was holding up a newspaper, and instantly Rose felt panic settle into her gut. With record speed, Albus jumped up from his spot on the bench, racing towards his mate and snatching the paper from him.

As he sat back down, Rose read the huge text print on the top of the Daily Prophet. ' _Weasley wits rival Rowena Ravenclaw? Who is it that now holds the title of smartest witch in history?'_ Below the offending title was a large black and white photo of Rose happily smiling and laughing. The article was pages long, and Rose was hardly able to resist the urge of setting the paper on fire. The Great Hall was filled was dozens of loud conversations, all of which talking about one person.

Rose felt as if she was going to be sick, and she could practically feel all of the eyes glued to her. Her breathing got panicked and her eyes began to leak as she was suddenly the attention of the entire hall. All at once everyone began yelling and hollering at her; most were words of praise, but some were rude and uncivil teases. Rose felt as if the room was beginning to close in on her, it felt like the walls were getting tighter, like there was no where to go.

That was when Albus grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her seat, leading her out of the Great Hall. The wizard roughly shoved to get out of the crowded room, letting out several loud swears. The two were out of the room in moments, the doors shutting behind them, and Headmistress McGonagall stood to calm everyone down.

Scorpius, who had seen the entire scene, suddenly felt guilt heavily weighing on him. He had ached to get up and run to comfort her, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet. "She'll be fine," Scorpius heard a hushed voice whisper to him. "Potter would never let anything happen to her, don't worry, mate." The man nodded to Quinn, knowing what he said was true.

"I know that," Scorpius replied with a sigh, his eyes glaring at all the people who continued to talk about Rose. "I just wish-"

"That you could be the one to comfort her instead?" The wizard cut off, his eyes questioning. And again, Scorpius nodded, glad to know someone understood the way he felt.

* * *

Draco Lucius Malfoy was a man of habit, he had his routines and he stuck to them. So, that Tuesday morning, he went down to breakfast at seven o'clock, and greeted his ravishingly gorgeous wife with a kiss. He made his usual cup of coffee, taken with two cubes of sugar, and once he was settled the morning paper was brought to him. Pale eyes read the front cover of the Daily Prophet, and Draco couldn't help but smile the smallest of smiles.

Having seen his reaction, Astoria stopped stirring her tea for a moment, her dark eyebrow raising. "Something interesting, dear," the women asked, highly intrigued with her husband's grinning. Draco let out a chuckle when he finished reading over the article, shocked at the strange sort of pride he felt for the little witch.

Looking up to his intrigued wife, Draco pushed the paper across the table to her. Astoria read the paper carefully, not understanding what her spouse had found so amusing. "Is there something I'm missing," the witch said slowly, confused when she noticed Draco bite back another laugh.

"You'll find out," his deep voice spoke, "soon enough." And for the remainder of breakfast Draco received several curious glances from his wife, as he continued to chuckle and grin into his morning coffee.


	31. Chapter 31

Hey guys, I just wanted to clear up some confusion really quick. Someone pointed out that Gellert Grindelwald, who took the Test of Knowledge, attended the Durmstrang Institute and not Hogwarts. And I am well aware. I never said this test was made simply for Hogwarts students, _it had been made for the general public_ and anyone who thought their mind was above average. Yes; Rowena, Tom, and Rose were all Hogwarts attendances, but the test was open for anyone, and I imagine Gellert taking it to prove his strength and mental abilities. I really hope this helps with any confusion.

Anyways, this is another one of my favorite chapters, at the time I was looking forward to writing it for weeks! Enjoy and review.

* * *

The date was January 25, one of the most important days of the year, if you were to ask Rose Weasley. Her eager eyes watched as the skinny hand on the clock slowly ticked around in its circle. Her petite foot tapped restlessly against her chair, as the rest of the students in her class completed the work she had already finished. She saw that she only had two short minutes left to wait, but to her it felt like hours.

Bouncing out of her chair the moment the bell rang, the small witch quickly darted out of the classroom. Her skinny legs lead her to the spot that Scorpius always waited for her, and a magnificent smile broke out on her face the second she spotted the handsome man that was leaned up against a wall. Scorpius took a step forward when he spotted his girlfriend, and was almost knocked off his feet when she ran towards him at full speed and launched herself into his arms.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Scorpius placed a hand under her bum as he held her to him. He was hardly able to say her name before her lips were attacking his. Rose kissed Scorpius deeply, her lips massaging his with passion. And though he had no idea what was going on, Scorpius didn't have a single complaint. Some minutes later, Rose pulled back, gasping for air with a permanent smile stuck to her lips. "Happy Birthday," the witch said breathlessly. Rose pressed a kiss to each of his cheeks, her hand moving down to stroke his blonde beard.

Still holding the excited girl in his arms, Scorpius smiled back at her. "Thank you, you little minx," the wizard said in a seductively low voice, moving forward to nip her full bottom lip. With the hand that held her perky bottom, Scorpius gave her a squeeze, eliciting a surprised squeal from her. Reluctantly releasing her, Rose slid down the front of his body until she stood on her own two feet.

"Could I steal you for the night," she asked, with a mischievous look in her eyes. Wishing for nothing more than to be kidnapped by his little witch, Scorpius sighed. Bringing one of his hands up, he stroked the side of her face.

"I promised Luciano and Quinn I'd eat dinner with them," the man said, already regretting his decision, "but I can come right after if you'd like." Rose beamed up at him as the dimple on her showed, nodding her head eagerly. Leaving her with one last kiss, Scorpius made his way to the Slytherin dorms, hoping the hours ticked by fast until he was with his little witch again.

* * *

Harsh January winds blew across her face, tinting her cheeks pink, as her hair flew around her. Rose hummed happily as she stared off into the distance, watching bare tree branches dance in the wind. Parting her lips, she allowed the sound to escape her and be freed. Walking back into her room, Rose made sure her doors were locked tightly behind her, as she wandlessly lit a fire.

Long legs pulled him up stone steps, leading him closer to his personal haven. Just as he was about to murmur the password, Scorpius heard a sweet noise seep through the door. Pressing his ear up against the wooden barrier, the wizard listened as a huge grin appeared on his face. Scorpius was utterly transfixed by the beautiful voice that sang along with the music perfectly. Careful as not to be noticed, the man slowly and quietly pushed her door open, pleased with what he saw.

There, in the middle of her large room, stood Rose. The witch sang quietly to herself, as she closed her eyes and swayed around the room, dancing with herself. Scorpius was mesmerized with her beauty, and he stood in the doorway to watch her for several moments longer.

A small gasp escaped Rose when she felt two strong hands grab her waist from behind and pull her back. A pair of lips pressed against the side of neck, and her eyes closed on their own accord, as her small hands went atop of the larger pair. Scorpius smirked against her throat as he felt her practically melt into him, moving to press kisses all along her neck. The instrumental music continued to play in the background, and Rose smiled when Scorpius entwined their fingers together, moving away so he could twirl her around in circles.

Stepping to her, Scorpius placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close, as she brought hers up onto his shoulders. The couple danced around her room to the music, laughing and giggling with each other. As the song winded to an end, Rose placed her head on his chest, as one of his hands moved to rub up and down her back. "How's the eighteenth birthday looking so far," the witch asked, looking up to him with a smile.

"Alright," Scorpius confessed, brushing a strand of hair off her face, "better now that I'm with you, though." Her smile turned into a massive beam, and she stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips.

They pulled apart after a moment, moving so their foreheads rested against each other. "Present time," Rose declared cheerfully, grabbing his hand and pulling him until he sat on the couch. "Close your eyes." Following orders, the blonde man shut his eyes, listening to her shuffle around the room. He moved to get himself comfortable, resting his back against the tall armrest of the couch. Scorpius felt the cushion dip as Rose sat herself close next to him. "Alright," she said, and he opened his eyes to see her holding out a perfectly wrapped box out to him.

Taking the gift, Scorpius thanked her and Rose pouted slightly. "You haven't even opened it yet," she complained, urging him to do so. The wizard was slow and careful as he unwrapped the box, smirking when his girl huffed in annoyance. Once the wrapping was gone, Scorpius opened the square leather box, and was greeted with the sight of a shiny silver watch. "It's your great grandfather's," Rose quickly said, surprising Scorpius beyond belief.

"How," he said slowly, as he carefully pulled the piece of jewelry from the box.

With a smile on her face, Rose told him the story. "Well, a couple weeks back I was shopping with my cousin, Teddy, for his daughters' birthday. And we had gone into this antique shop in a little village. As we were walking around I found this watch and thought of you instantly, and that was when the owner of the shop informed me it was your great grandfather's, Abraxas Malfoy." Scorpius nodded, having heard many stories about the great man.

"I then knew I just _had_ to get it for you. The owner was very skeptical, and I practically had to beg him for it. He only let me buy it after I promised him it was going to a family member _._ " Rose ended her explanation with a great huff of breath, her eyes watching him as he placed the clock on his wrist and admired it. "Do you like it," the girl asked nervously after he remained silent for a minute.

Grey eyes snapped up to her face, and Scorpius couldn't help himself as he leaned forward and kissed Rose passionately. "Like it? Rosie, this is the most amazing gift anyone has ever given me. I love it," the man said, enjoying the brilliant smile Rose wore. "I can't believe you've found this," Scorpius murmured as his eyes went back down to the shining watch. "My great grandfather died when he was sixty, from dragon pox. And my grandfather was left with no one but his wife and my dad. But when my grandfather went Azkaban in 1996, his home was raided by the Ministry, and all of his father's belonging were taken. When my grandfather got out, he was left with nothing of his father's."

Looking to her, Scorpius felt his heart swell pride; the pride of wearing something of his great grandfathers, and the pride of being with such an astounding witch. "This is perfect, Rose, thank you." The wizard went to move for Rose, but she jumped out of his grasp, and surprised him with another small, wrapped box. "Another," Scorpius asked, watching as Rose bit her lip and nodded, "you've spoiled me, little lamb." Ripping the paper off the box, Scorpius opened it and found an expensive looking crystal, self refilling ink pot.

Rose smiled as she watched her boyfriend with gentle eyes, "it's to make up for the one of yours I broke. I know it was a family heirloom, and nothing will be as good, but I just thought-" Scorpius silenced Rose by leaning forward and kissing her promptly, causing her to blush when he stopped her rambling.

"They are great, thank you so much," Scorpius said in his low voice that seemed to melt Rose, after they pulled apart. Setting his two gifts aside, he reached out as he snaked an arm around her waist, and pulled her until she sat with her back against his chest, sitting between his legs.

The couple stayed like that for hours, simply talking. They shared stories of their childhoods, admitted their fears and dreams, and they chatted until it seemed they knew everything about each other.

"...And my cousin James was able to convince me no one would notice if we stole cookies from the jar, using my infatuation for sweets against me." Rose explained, as her fingers toyed and played with Scorpius' pale hand, which sat on her lap. Scorpius chuckled, knowing where the story was going. Using his free hand pulled her hair off of one shoulder and bared it for him. Rose's breath hitched when she felt his hot breath on her neck, as goose bumps erupted all over her skin.

Struggling to talk, she continued on with her story in a shaky voice. "Our mothers caught us with our hands stuck in the jar, and we were both punished; he had his broom taken away for the week, and I had my books confiscated for the night." Scorpius dropped his lips down onto her neck, and kissed her softly, just over her beating pulse. Rose gasped loudly, her hands squeezing his own, as she felt him suck and nibble her. "Merlin," she whispered, completely forgetting what she had been talking about just moments ago.

Scorpius smirked, moving down to attack another spot on her neck, leaving a bruise behind. Rose's head dropped back down onto his shoulder, giving him even better access to her soft golden skin. A small moan left her lips, and Scorpius had to stop from doing the same, as he felt himself twitch in his pants and began to grow hard. The witch felt herself heat up, as a fiery pleasure filled her, burning in the pit of her stomach. Unable to control herself, Rose suddenly moved, flipping over so she faced Scorpius as her legs moved to straddle him.

And with a passion she had never felt, Rose kissed him. She kissed him like it was the last thing she would ever do. Her hands went into his hair, sending sparks down Scorpius' spine when she gently tugged and pulled on it. He kissed her back with just as much desire. Rose moaned into his mouth when his teeth bit her bottom lip, as his hands caressed just under her breasts. Rose felt the overwhelming heat in her core, and let out a tiny moan when she felt her knickers dampen.

Scorpius' fingers moved and he undid the top button of her school blouse, but he stopped there, not wishing to overstep his boundaries. The wizard was shocked when Rose grabbed his hand and moved it back to her shirt, urging him on. So, with patience he reserved just for her, he slowly unbuttoned the rest of her shirt, as his lips fought with hers. Scorpius didn't make any further moves when her shirt was completely undone, as it hung open for him.

Scorpius felt himself die and go to heaven in that moment, and he never wished to come back down. For the first time, he looked down and groaned loudly at what he saw. Her tanned skin looked creamy and alluring as the light of the fire shone on it. Her supple breast were confined in a plain white bra, and his eyes watched as they moved up and down as she breathed. Her stomach was ever so skinny and lithe, and he saw the edges of her ribs poking from beneath her skin. And yet, he thought she was utterly captivating. "You're beautiful, Rose," he murmured, looking up into her eyes.

Rose had felt her embarrassment and nerves heighten as she had watched him look at her naked torso for the first time. But all of those feelings melted away when she heard his words, and she moved forward and began kissing him again. Rose then reached out and grabbed one of his hands, placing it on her stomach, as his calloused fingers felt her silky skin. She gasped when she felt him, the warmth of his touch comforting to her.

Frustration built up inside of Rose, as she felt Scorpius touch everywhere but the place she wanted him to. She felt her breasts ache with need, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could last. "You're sure," Scorpius asked for permission, not wishing for Rose to do anything just to please him, and she nodded overenthusiastically as she pulled him back into a kiss. Finally, he let his fingers lightly travel over her breasts, feeling how impossibly soft they were. The witch sighed into his mouth when he finally touched her, as she pushed her chest forward into his hands, wanting him to touch her harder.

So, Scorpius complied, as his touch became heavy. His hands were heavenly, as he caressed and rubbed her through her thin bra, as her nipples hardened for him. Rose's knickers were now soaked, and she gasped when she felt Scorpius' bulged crotch pressed against her. Scorpius could feel the heat and wetness as she sat on top of him, and he slowly pulled back. He nearly gasped when he saw the lustful look in her eyes, not oblivious when they suddenly become shy. Her soft voice spoke quietly, "do you, um- want me to…" she paused and thought of the right word, "help?"

The wizard was confused for a minute, but when her eyes flashed down to his bulging pants, he realized what she was talking about, and was more than shocked. Scorpius knew she must have asked someone about it, and couldn't help but feel amused thinking of it. Quick to shake his head, his blonde hair fell slightly into his eyes as he leaned forward and pecked her on the tip of her button nose. "I'll be fine, Rosie," he reassured her, and the look in her eyes told him she wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"We should stop, though," he said breathlessly, his hands dropping to hold her waist. And though she didn't agree, Rose nodded, pecking him one more time on the lips before she moved to sit in the position she had been in before.

The wizard pressed a kiss to her neck, as his fingers moved to button up her shirt again. "Thank you," Scorpius said in her ear, as his nose nuzzled her neck. "For everything," he added, as his arms wrapped around her and pulled him close to his chest. Sleep quickly found Rose, and Scorpius followed not long after, as they laid wrapped up in each other.

At two o'clock in the morning, Scorpius was woken with a start, and he grinned when he found his sleeping witch cuddled into his chest. Knowing she should sleep in her bed and not the couch, Scorpius woke her. "Rose," he said, awaking the slumbering girl after the tenth attempt. "You need to go to your bed," he explained, and his deep voice chuckled when she only snuggled further into him.

"Take me," the sleeping girl said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Scorpius laughed again, sighing as he gathered her in his arms, and carried her over to her bed. Just as he set her down, Rose grabbed his wrist. "Stay," she mumbled, her blue eyes looking up to him pleadingly. And when he didn't budge, she added, "please." The wizard sighed, knowing he was unable to resist her.

Rose grinned happily when he bent down to pull his shoes off, and removed his jumper and shirt next. The little witch scooted over in her bed, making room for him. Scorpius laid himself down next to her, and smiled when she instantly made herself comfortable with him. Rose wrapped a thin arm over his chest, as her head laid just above his heart. "Happy Birthday," she said just as sleep took her again.

Scorpius smiled down at her, bending to press a kiss to the top of her head, knowing it was the best birthday he ever had.


	32. Chapter 32

I am super glad you all seem to be pleased with my work, and I hope to keep it up. Some serious stuff goes down in this chapter... Enjoy!

* * *

"Alright everyone, settle down now." The class quieted at the sound of Professor Bobbin's voice. The women smiled when all eyes were on her, pulling a long piece of parchment out of her robe pocket. "Now, as you all know we will be starting our new potion; the Alihotsy Draught." Looking around the room the witch saw bored looks on most of her students faces, and she smirked as she began to unrolled her parchment. "But, I thought I'd mix things up a bit, keep you all on your toes. So, for the brewing of this entire potion, which you all know takes eleven full weeks, you will all work with new partners."

Dozens of heads sprung up, as several whines were heard all throughout the classroom. "Oh, yes! And, I've done you the pleasure of already assigning you with someone else." Melinda Bobbin paused, smirking at the sounds of displeasure coming from her disgruntled students. "Now, I have chosen these pairs very carefully, and they were put together based on ability." After that the woman began reading off names, further annoying her students as she forced all the houses to intermix.

The small witch waited patiently, listening for her name to be called. Rose was hardly able to hide her smile when the professor called out, "Miss Weasley, and Mister Malfoy." Looking back to where she knew Scorpius saw, she saw him leaning back in his chair with a menacing smirk on his lips. Rose blushed and began to collect her stuff in a flustered mess when he reached a lone finger up, and beckoned her to him. Cara Thomas, a Gryffindor, gave her a sympathetic look as she passed by, wishing her luck in a hushed tone.

"Hi," Rose greeted Scorpius as she settled herself in the seat next to him, at the table in the far back of the classroom. The wizard watched as she began unloading her work, including the full report Rose had created two nights ago, once she found out what potion the class was making. Scorpius smirked at her extraordinarily scholar ways, finding every bit of it adorable. "So, what would you like to start with? We can either prepare our cauldrons, or go collect our ingredients." Rose asked in a serious tone, flipping through the book to find their instructions.

Blue eyes shot over to Scorpius, when she heard him chuckle lowly. "Doesn't matter to me," he said casually, well aware of the few students who looked their way every couple of seconds. Rose nodded to him, biting her lip to keep from smiling at the handsome wizard.

When their was only few minutes left of the period, the wizard slipped a note over to his witch. Unfolding it in her lap, the girl read his handwriting, ' _Meet me at your room after dinner?_ ' The girl looked over to him, using her long hair to block her face from the rest of the room, as she smiled and nodded to him. Scorpius smirked at her just as the bell rang, sending her a quick glance before he grabbed his bag and made his way out of the room.

"Oh, Miss Weasley," Professor Bobbin shouted just as Rose was about to leave. The small witch turned around, and Melinda smiled at her. "I really hate to ask this of you, but I know you're headed to the library for your study group with the fourth-years, and I was wondering if you could do something for me." The auburn haired girl nodded, happy to help out. "I had borrowed these books from Madam Pince, and she just owled me saying she needs them back, but sadly I have another class. I was wondering if you could drop them off to her on your way."

Rose graciously took the book from her professor, wishing her a good night as she made her way out. The small girl struggled with the weight of the books, as they were all large heavy texts. Rounding the corner, Rose skidded her foot against the ground, tumbling forward instantly. The witch fell hard onto the floor, as all of the books spilled out of her arms and spread across the corridor. Sadly, she happened to be in one of the busier halls of the school, and a group of seventh-year Slytherins had been their to watch her fall.

Mocking laughter instantly left the mouths of Velma Elswood and Sabrina Ashworth, as Melody Caldwell stood behind the two. Matching smirks were painted onto all three of the faces, and Rose cursed herself when she felt her cheeks begin to heated up. "You know, you'd think someone who's suppose to be 'brilliant' would know how to walk," Sabrina teased, as the other two girls laughed loudly.

"Well, I for one am glad the dirty halfblood finally found her place," Velma said as she kicked one of the books across the corridor towards Rose.

"Hey," Frank Longbottom yelled when he rounded the corner just in time to hear the crude girl's words. "Don't talk to her like that," the wizard yelled as anger instantly filled him. Nathaniel Wood, who was at Frank's side, quickly spotted Rose on the floor and rushed forward to help her.

Put out that someone had caught them, Velma frowned. "I can talk to her however I want to, she's just a halfblood." Rose was now back on her feet, and Nathaniel had begun picking up the books that were spread all across the hall.

The wizard frowned when he saw Frank pull out his wand, as he quickly stood. "Mate, don't. They aren't worth it," Nathaniel said, spatting his last words at the three girls who had disgusted looked on their faces. Frank held his wand forward for a long moment more, his breathing coming out hard. Nathaniel sighed when he finally dropped his wand, after picking up the stack of books he made and walked over to Rose. "Don't listen to them, Rosie," Nathaniel mumbled to her, picking up her backpack and slinging it over his own shoulder. The witch smiled when Nate repeated something that her father had told her hundreds of times throughout her childhood, "people throw rocks at things that shine."

Frank started making his way toward the pair, still frowning at them. "Don't you ever speak of her like that again! And stay away from her, you bunch of trollops." The wizard grinned when he saw the looks of horror on the three faces, as they all huffed and walked away. Glad that they were finally gone, Frank looked to Rose, "are you alright, Rosie?"

The girl nodded, as nothing was injured. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," she said with a grateful smile, "I'm not sure what I would have done without the both of you."

"Ah, it's no big deal," Nathaniel said with a smile. "So where you headed?" He asked, motioning to the books he held. The wizard laughed and shook his head when Rose immediately tried taking them, along with her bag. And after a minute, she sighed, realizing he was too stubborn for her, and told him of her trip to the library.

The two gallant Gryffindors then escorted her to her destination, managing to make her giggle within minutes. And by the time they reached the library, Rose felt her stomach ache from laughing. Taking her books back from Nathaniel, she thanked the both of them once more time. "No problem, Rosie," Frank said, thrilled he had been able to spend time with her. "See ya later," the two said as they left to get into all kinds of trouble.

* * *

Rose looked down and smiled gently at the man fast asleep in her lap. She reached a hand out and brushed strands of blonde hair off of his forehead, thinking she would never know how he kept it so incredibly silky soft. A quiet laugh escaped her when he wrinkled his nose as she slowly ran her fingertips across his face. The witch admired how calm and peaceful he looked in his slumber, his pink lips parted as he breathed deeply and his blonde eyelashes sitting on the tops of his sculpted cheekbones. Leaning forward, Rose pressed a kiss to his forehead, as her long hair tickled his face.

A small groan escaped the wizard as he woke a moment later, sucking in a deep breath as he opened his eyes and looked around. Rose smiled down at Scorpius, her fingers continuing to trace patterns all over his face. "Hello sleepyhead," she greeted him, watching a small grin appear in his face.

Reaching up, he quickly snatched her roaming fingers with his own and brought them to his mouth as he kissed each fingertip. Scorpius knew that waking up to Rose's smiling face was easiest the best thing ever. Using his long arms, he reached behind her head and gently began pulling her down towards him. Rose giggled as her lips kissed his briefly, enjoying the way his scent encased her. "Sleep good," she asked, running her fingers through his silky hair.

"One of the best sleeps I've ever had," Scorpius said being completely honest, his voice still groggy and deliciously deep from slumber. "I've got to admit, your lap is a lot more comfortable than it looks."

Rose let out a laugh, her sweet and musical voice caressing every sound. "Is that so?" Another giggle escaped her when he nodded and made his head comfortable in it. "Well then, you're more than welcome to use it whenever you'd like." Blue eyes traveled down his face, onto his neck, and finally to his chest. Looking at the dark ink that peeked out from beneath his shirt, she asked, "what is this one?"

Looking down, Scorpius unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, smirking when he saw the blush on Rose's face. The small witch felt heat rush to her as her eyes admire all of his rigid muscles, noticing for the first time the small patch of blonde hair that disappeared into his trousers. "This one," he said pointing to the tattoo which looked like he had just connected several long lines and dots. "It's the draco constellation, for my father." The girl nodded, tilting her head to the side until she saw it perfectly.

"That was kind of you," she said, tracing over the ink. "And this one?" Rose pointed to another, which looked like a curled cursive T.

Scorpius smiled as she moved to trace her hand over the next one, loving the feeling of her touch. "It's the ancient rune for strength," he explained, laughing when she instantly moved her finger to another. "My family motto in Hebrew. _Always pure._ _Family can conquer all, blood is thicker than water, love is stronger than light."_ The man read the scripted words perfectly, admiring the first ever tattoo he got.

This went on for awhile, with Rose pointing to various ink marks as Scorpius explained them. Moving her hand, she pointed to the very last tattoo that was visible with his shirt on. "It says 'like a hawk' in Gaelic, for my mother." The small girl nodded, laying her hand flat on his toned stomach, where it was tattoo free as most of his ink was on his upper torso or biceps.

"Scorpius," Rose mumbled as she bit her lip, trying to build up her courage. Looking up at her face, Scorpius could just tell that she was debating something in that brilliant brain of hers. "Can I ask you something," she said, looking down into his eyes.

The wizard sat up so he was next to her, as he nodded his head with his eyes trained on her. "Have you," she said in a shaky voice, and stopped to take a breath, knowing the answer to that question as she has heard many rumors about Scorpius before they met. "I was wondering... how many girls have you, uh, s-slept with?" Scorpius was shocked by her question, though in some way he had known it had been coming. When he didn't reply immediately, Rose blushed and looked down to her hands. "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me. It's really none of my business-"

Cutting her off, he quickly called out her name, "Rose." The witch looked up, and saw him with a gentle look in his grey eyes. "Of course it's your business, but you're sure you would like to know?" Rose nodded quickly, reaching out to grab one of his hands and pull into her lap so she could toy with it, a nervous habit she had picked up. "Alright, then. Five," Scorpius said in his deep voice. And for the first time in his life, he felt ashamed for that number.

Rose blinked several times, as her hands froze and stopped playing with his, her teeth sinking down to bite her lip. "Oh," she said, releasing his hand all together as she pulled away, letting it sit in her lap. "Oh," she repeated, "alright."

"Rose, listen to me," Scorpius said after a moment of silence, reaching forward to place a hand under her chin and pull her eyes up. "It was different then, everything has changed. I didn't feel anything for those girls, they didn't mean anything to me. But you, Rosie, you made everything different. You have changed me, you keep changing me everyday, and I have never been as pleased with myself as I am with you."

Dozens of emotions filled the witch, and she felt her heart swell with pride. "Oh, Scorpius," she whispered, resting her hands on his shoulders and she leaned forward to kiss him. His large hands found her waist and pulled her forward until she was pressed flush against him. Rose moan softly when Scorpius ran his tongue along her bottom lip, as she parted them and allowed him entrance. She reached a hand up to stroke the side of his face enjoying the feeling of his beard rubbing against it. Scorpius felt passion and lust and joy and excitement and desire fill him, as his hands moved up and down her sides, appreciating her soft curves.

When they finally pulled back, Scorpius smiled at Rose, finding her swollen lips and flushed face alluring as ever. "Will you spend the night with me," Rose asked, as the thought of having him leave completely upset her. "Please," she said when he began shaking his head. "This is the last night I have with you for the next couple of days, then we will leave for holiday break, and I'll miss you."

"Rose, I don't know. I still have to pack and we're leaving in three days, not to mention Luciano and Quinn have started to complain that I don't see them." Scorpius wanted for nothing more than to jump in her bed and snuggle the rest of the night with her, but he knew he probably shouldn't. He had only slept with her twice before, yet every night his body ached for him to sleep with her in her bed instead of alone in his. He was beginning to become an addict.

"Oh, please, Scorpius," Rose said with a massive pout. She moved forward and laid her head on his shoulder as her arms wrapped around him. "You can see them everyday during break, but I won't see you at all. It's only fair." Scorpius' breaking point was when Rose not only moved her fingers to tickle the hairs at the back of his neck, but also moved forward to press her lips gently against his throat.

The little witch knew she had won the moment he squeezed her waist with his hands as he groaned loudly. Scorpius felt her lips smile against his neck, and smirked to himself when she let out a squeak as he raised a hand and smacked her bum. The wizard almost lost all control when he heard Rose let out the smallest of moans from the hit as she rubbed her breasts against his chest. "It's bedtime, I think," he said in his deep voice.

Rose let out a giggle as she kiss his pulse one last time before getting up and bouncing into the bathroom, secretly snatching something on her way. Scorpius shook his head as he stood and went over to her bed, stripping out of his clothes as he went. Tonight he shed his pants, leaving him in just his boxers, though he climbed into her bed and got under her covers before she saw. Some minutes later, the witch came out and Scorpius was shocked to see her wearing the black sweater he had worn to her room.

This jumper, like the other one, came down to her thighs and Scorpius smirked when he moved his arms behind his head as he enjoyed the view, well aware how much better the jumper looked on her. "Did you steal that, you little minx," he asked, his eyes glued to her long, smooth tanned legs.

"I prefer the term 'permanently borrowing'," Rose said with a cheeky smile as she climbed in beside him. The small girl snuggled up to him instantly, inhaling his toxic scent. The couple found sleep easily, wrapped up in each other's arms as they both silently thanked Merlin for each other.

* * *

Scorpius woke earlier the next morning, as he always did. Though instead of his usual morning frown, he wore a content grin. Sunlight peaked through her curtains, lighting the dark room softly and slowly. The wizard felt his body ache from a good night's sleep, and he felt a deep peace of mind as he looked down and found his witch fast asleep on his chest.

Rose's head was laid over his heart, and her cheek felt hot against his bare skin. Her eyelids fluttered and he knew she was dreaming, as the hand on his stomach clenched and twitched. The wizard admired her beauty, counting each freckle on her face, as he found them utterly adorable. Her hair was spread all around her on the white pillows, and he smiled as she snuggled herself closer to him in her slumber. As Scorpius laid there with Rose, he thought of how incredibly blessed he was to have found her.

Though everything quickly turned to hell a minute later. There was a swift knock heard on Rose's dorm door, and as Scorpius carefully got out of bed to answer it and not to disturb Rose, it opened in its own accord. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion then.

Dawson stepped in, his bare feet slowly taking him into the witch's room, his eyes down casted one moment, yet the next they slid up, taking in every inch of Scorpius' scandalously clad body. The blonde watched as realization suddenly hit his cousin, when his eyes looked behind him to see Rose, covers pulled up to her neck. Scorpius knew Dawson probably thought they had slept with each other, and though he should have corrected him and set his mind calm, he said nothing.

There was a moment of thick, uncomfortable silence. Neither of the boys doing anything but standing there, staring at each other. Dawson had suspected such things, though seeing his horrors with his own two eyes hurt like he had been stabbed in the chest. His breathing picked up, his fists clenched at his sides, and he ached for nothing more than to tear Scorpius' head right off his shoulders.

Scorpius could clearly see Dawson was losing himself with every second and he prayed he wouldn't make a scene that would wake Rose up, know she would just upset herself over it. When the dark haired man looked back to his cousin, his eyes were filled with anger and rage, Scorpius could clearly see it, and frankly he wasn't surprised at all.

A disgusted look found Dawson' face, as if he had just witnessed a murder, and he slowly shook his head one moment. But the next he had disappeared, slamming the door behind him.

The huge noise woke the slumbering beauty, and she lifted her head, looking around when she saw Scorpius wasn't still in her bed. Turning around, the wizard met her sleepy eyes just when she spotted him, and the happiest, lazy smile appearing on her lips. "Come back," Rose mumbled, her voice sweet and tired.

Scorpius felt his heart skip a beat, and couldn't refuse her. Climbing back into the warm bundle of blankets, Rose smiled bigger, scooting closer to him as he laid down. "Mm, my Scorpius," she mumbled as she snuggled herself to him, hearing his heartbeat and inhaling his perfect scent. The witch was fast asleep in second, blissfully unaware of the silent war that had just raged on moments before.

Smiling down at the goddess, any previous worries he has about his cousin drifted away as he held his girl. Scorpius bent and kissed the crown of her head, holding her with all he had.


	33. Chapter 33

This chapter is my longest so far, and packed full with lots of fun, but I am sure none of you will mind that. As always, I love all of your feedback, _please_ keep it coming. Leave any comments or questions, thanks.

* * *

Sunlight shined brightly through the large glass windows, as dust particles slowly floated through the illuminated rays. The hall was silent, aside from the pretty humming coming from the witch at work. Rose tugged at the white sheets on the mattress, stripping the bed completely, before dressing it again with clean, crisp linen. It was the day of the week where Rose went to the hospital wing to do her training, however Madam Strout was up to her head with paperwork and far too busy to train her. But the little witch was more than happy to stay, and help out around the infirmary.

She was halfway done with the task of redressing all twenty-four of the hospital beds with new sheets, which Rose chose to do by hand rather than magically. Growing up, Sundays were laundry day in her house, and Rose and her mother would go room to room together making all of the beds in the house. And so the girl found a strange sort of peace from making beds by hand, as she reminisced on her younger memories. The witch had already completed her other task of restocking the emergency potions cabinet, which she happily completed. Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed the letter she had received that morning.

Tearing it open, she excitedly read. ' _Dear Rosie, I am thrilled to see you in just a few short days, it always feels like a lifetime every time you go away. As for your request to meet, I would be more than happy, and let me tell you how very intrigued I am. I will be at my grandmothers the day after you get back, for lunch, and you are more than welcome to stop by. Sending my love, Teddy Lupin.'_ The small witch smiled at the letter, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her.

Rose's attention was suddenly grabbed when the doors to the Hospital wing were opened and a group of four Gryffindors ran in. The boys, all of whom were fifth-years, looked around the room frantically until they spotted Rose. The witch was shocked to see her brother amongst the group, but her eyes were trained on the boy who was being held up and dragged by two others.

With panic on his face, the boy who wasn't holding up the injured began running towards her. "Miss, you need to help my friend. We were practicing dueling in our dorm, and I hit him with a _redactum skullus,_ but I think something's gone wrong. He can't speak anymore and he keeps coughing and he is really weak."

"Bring him here," Rose hollered loudly at the trio, ignoring the boy as he nervously rambled on. "That is a very dangerous hex, it can lead to permanent damage to the brain tissue or the skull," the girl hurriedly moved as she spoke, getting the boy comfortable on the bed, and she ran her wand over him to get him diagnosis. "The hex was probably casted incorrectly, and that's what causing this. You're lucky nothing more happened," she said to the boy who was nervously wring his hands out, as she wondering where Madam Strout was.

Hugo, and the two others stood at the end of the bed and watched Rose with baited breaths. " _Anapneo,_ " she whispered, and conjured a glass of water as the injured boy suddenly gasped out, looking around. Slipping her hand behind his back, Rose helped him sit up, thrusting the water towards him as she told him to drink. Looking to Hugo, she said, "in that cabinet over there, go grab me a vile of Restoration potion, and a jar of numbing cream."

Once she had them in had, Rose had the boy take the potion, as she took some paste from the jar on her fingers and rubbed it along his forehead and temples. Then, only after warning the boy to be prepared, she took her wand and said, " _Reparifors_."

The boy's skull was quick to grow back to its normal size, and once that was done, Rose gladly gave him a potion for the pain. After an hour of supervised resting, the boy was allowed to go, with the promise that he would return the next morning for a check up. After that, all of the boys left, aside for Hugo, who hung back. "Thanks for that, Ro. You're really bloody good at this, you know," the boy said as he watched his sister clean up.

"It's fine, that's my job. But, Hugo you've all got to be more careful with your wands, they are not toys. You shouldn't have even been dueling without a seventh-year supervisor, it's dangerous." Rose turned to him with a seriously look, as she placed a hand on her hip in a very Molly Weasley like fashion.

The auburn haired boy sighed and nodded, rubbing his hand on the backside of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, I know. And I mean, we didn't think anything would happen, it's just Ralph can be pretty shit with his wand sometimes… kinda like you." Rose said nothing as she continued to tidy up, sending her brother a dirty look, never having had any patience for foolish wand waving and shenanigans.

Walking towards her, Hugo bumped her with his elbow, forcing a smile out of her. "Have you packed yet," Rose asked in a very motherly tone. Hugo shook his head, which was the response she had expected. "Hugo! You've got to, we're leaving the day after next."

"I'll get it done, I always do, don't worry." A comfortable silence settled between them, until he asked Rose a question that took her off guard. "Are you gonna tell mum and dad," Hugo asked, and further elaborated when she looked at him confused. "You know, tell them about the guy."

Realization dawned on Rose, as she thought about the thing that had been stuck on her mind for the past week. She nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, as she nervously sat on a bed. Hugo saw her emotions clearly, and he moved to sit beside her. "I'm scared to do it, Hugh."

The younger Weasley nodded, understanding her concern. Throwing an arm over her shoulder, Hugo squeezed Rose close to him, hugging her tightly. "It'll be fine, Rosie. I know dad won't like it at first, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it once he see how happy you are." The small witch nodded as she hugged her brother back, knowing well that he wouldn't have said what he just had if he knew the last name of her boyfriend.

* * *

Rose wore a small smile on her lips as she walked down the corridors of the school she had come to think of as a home. She looked down at the book she had just checked out of the library, having had been waiting for it to come in for over a month. The witch had a friendly chat with one of her favorite ladies of the castle, Madame Pince, and was left in a wondrous mood. She flipped her thumbs through the pages of the old book, not looking where she was going as her hands made love to the old tomb.

A small yelp left the girl when she turned a corner and suddenly bumped into a hard body, though a pair of arms reached out and grabbed her before she was able to trip over her own feet. Rose looked up, ready to apologize, but her words caught in her throat when she saw who she had ran into. Terrance Macnair was standing much too close to the girl, holding her upper arms tightly, a sadistically happy smirk on his face. "My greatest apologies," the man said lowly as he grin grew.

Rose flinched when she felt his grip on her skinny arms tighten painfully, his entire hand managing to wrap around her whole bicep. The witch tried pulling herself out of his grip, but he only held tighter, digging his nails into her arms as he barred his teeth to her. Rose knew she would have dark bruises on her the next day, but that was the last thing on her mind. "What a coincidence to find you here," Terrance said, making it sound like it wasn't an accident at all. "Little Rose is never on her own, isn't that right?"

A cruel, mocking laugh left his lips when all Rose did was try to struggle out of his grip even more, pulling her face as far away from him as she could manage. "Stop, please," Rose whispered quietly, praying for _anyone_ to come around the corner. Terrance laughed again, mimicking her words in a high pitched voice.

The pit of her stomach was churning painfully, and Rose felt helpless. Her brain didn't seem to be functioning, and every time she opened her mouth the yell, her voice vanished. Suddenly Macnair moved, wrapping his arm tightly around her as he pulled her flush against him. This is when Rose began to truly panic. " _HELP_ -" her shouts were cut off when Terrance used his free hand and placed it over her mouth securely.

"No, no, no. We can't have you doing that, can we, pet?" Rose felt as if she was about to throw up when his hot breath blew down her neck, as his hand pushed her as close to him as possible.

Rose tried pushing and shoving, she did everything she could, but he was simply so much bigger and stronger than she was. Terrance moved his hand and brushed it over her face, and Rose was shocked when she felt her cheeks wet from tears she didn't know she was crying. The terrifying wizard was whispering something under his breath, and Rose now openly sobbed, fighting against him.

" _Please_ , just let me go!" But he didn't listen. An inhuman smile found its way to his lips and he opened his mouth to say something. Rose felt like screaming out for joy when she suddenly heard a voice coming from behind her.

"What the hell, Macnair! Let her fucking go!" A slightly familiar voice yelled, and Rose felt Terrance's grip go slightly slack on her. The witch took that as her opportunity, as she pushed the man far away from her and turned to run in the direction of the voice, far away from the frightening man.

Rose felt tears of joy fall down her face when she saw it was Quinn Nott and Luciano Zabini who had found her. The girl ran fast to them, but tripped on her shaky legs, falling hard into the ground just a foot away from Quinn. The wizard quickly stepped forward and helped Rose get farther away. She sobbed quietly and hugged Quinn tightly when he opened his arms to her, though she knew he probably didn't mean for an embrace. "Rose, what in the bloody heavens, are you okay?" The girl could simply shake her head as she cried and snuck nervous glances behind her to Terrance.

Luciano then stepped forward. "What the fuck is wrong with you," he shouted, a sick look on his face as he stared at his classmate.

"Just having some fun with Scorpius' little doll. I'm sure he wouldn't mind too much," Terrance said with a wicked grin, but it vanished when Luciano whipped his wand out and screamed at him to go.

When the man was gone from sight, the tanned wizard turned around to find a highly shaken up witch in his best mate's arms. "Merlin," Luciano whispered, "what the hell did he want?"

Rose looked up at Scorpius' friend, never feeling as relieved as she did. The witch shrugged, accepting the handkerchief Quinn handed her to dry her tears. "Please don't tell Scorpius," Rose said suddenly, knowing if her boyfriend found out, he would simply go mad with anger, and likely kill Terrance. And though that seemed nice, she didn't want Scorpius going to jail. When Luciano looked at her shocked, and opened his mouth, she pleaded again. "Please, you know how he is, Scorpius would go crazy and get himself into so much trouble. Just, please, don't tell him. I promise I am fine, I just want to forget this ever happened."

Both men looked down at the scared girl, and knew here was no convincing her. They shared a looked and Quinn sighed, nodding. "Fine, Rose, we won't tell Scorpius. But if he ever pulls anything like that again, I want you to come straight to us and we will help you, understand?" The witch nodded, thanking them a dozen times as she hugged them both tightly. But in the back of her mind she wondered if she just did the right thing.

* * *

He raised his wand, pointing it directly at her, the look on his face showing he had no mercy. " _No, please_ ," she yelled, fumbling for her own wand, but it was too late. He yelled the two cursed words and a bright green light shot out, trapping her as she felt nothingness encase her.

Rose allowed a loud gasp to leave her lips as she shot up in her bed, her eyes wildly scanning the room. She let out a sigh when she noticed no one was with her, as she wiped the sweat off her forehead and grabbed at her frantic heart. Realizing it was all just a dream, she laid back in bed, kicking the covers off of her hot body. When the witch finally got out of bed, her bones ached, and she knew she had most likely tossed and turned the entire night.

Making her way towards the bathroom, Rose noticed something odd sitting at the foot of her door, and her brows furrowed as she made her way towards it. There were three boxes, one large long one and two smaller ones sitting on top of it. Bending down the picked them all up, reading the note that was attached. ' _Happy Valentines Day. I'll be at your dorm at six, S.H.M._ ' The witch smiled down at the note, suddenly thrilled as she had forgotten what day it was.

Looking to the boxes, she opened the first one. Rose's mouth began to water when she was greeted with the sight of chocolate, and not any chocolate, but DeLafée of Switzerland's chocolates. Like an eager child, she moved onto the next one, and was shocked to see a bouquet of red roses. She grinned as she bent low to smell them, quickly conjuring a large glass vase and putting them in water. Rose was practically bouncing of the walls with the last box, as she took the lid off and peeled of the tissue paper.

There, sitting beautifully in the box, was a bundle of the softest silk Rose had ever felt. Pulling it out, she found it was a stunning dress, as she held it up to herself in front of a mirror. The silky material was a pale grey and it shined in the light, the dress itself came down to her knees. It had long sleeves and was tight until it reached her waist, where it dropped down and flowed around. Rose couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she placed the dress back in its box, excited for the night to come.

* * *

"Mate, I've got to say it… you look good. I mean, I'd shag you if-" Luciano's vulgar words were cut off by Quinn's hysterical laugh, and Scorpius' hard glare. The blonde wizard had just finished dressing himself for the night, and his Italian friend would never pass up a chance to mock him.

Scorpius was about to reprimand him for his naughty comment, when there was a knock at the door. After looking to his mates, who were equally as clueless, Quinn stood and went to answer it, though it opened and someone stepped in a moment later.

Grey eyes darkened a shade when they spotted Dawson standing in front of the closed door he had just come through, not bothering looking around his old room as his eyes immediately went to Scorpius. And though he tried his hardest, Malfoy was unable to hold his tongue, "oh, so you barge into everyone's room like that, not just my girlfriend's… good to know." Quinn quickly sat himself on his bed, picking up a book and pretended to read, but Luciano just blankly stared at the relatives with interest.

When Dawson quickly spoke up, trying to explain himself, Scorpius cut him off. "It doesn't matter, you had no business being in her room at that hour." The wizard felt rage fill him, the same rage that he had pushed aside the other morning when it had happened to keep cool in front of Rose.

Ignoring Scorpius' mean words, Dawson tried to defend himself again, "I came here for a reason; to speak to you." When he said nothing else, the blonde raised an eyebrow at him, knowing he was wasting his time. "I want you to leave Rose alone-" he began to say, but Scorpius simply rolled his eyes, losing his composure.

"Would you give it a fucking rest, Dawson. Your first request didn't work, and neither will this one. If you haven't realized that I am not going to leave her by now, your mental. Use your head." Scorpius' words were harsh, he knew that, but he could care less.

Dawson's anger seemed to grow with each minute like his cousin, and he flexed his hand around his wand in his pocket. "What you are doing other is wrong! You are just using her to shag for a while, then you'll toss her aside like you did to all those other witches. It's cruel." Quinn and Luciano were beyond surprised, they knew Scorpius hadn't done anything near sleeping with Rose, and hadn't a clue why Dawson thought that.

"Fuck this," Scorpius mumbled under his breath, grabbing his wand from his bed and stowing it in his pocket. "I don't have time for your bullshit," his powerful voice said as he left, pushing past his cousin and slamming shoulders with him. A smirk found Scorpius when he heard the angry words Dawson yelled after him, all he cared about was going to see his girl.

* * *

At exactly six o'clock on the dot, Scorpius stood at her door, his fist moving up to knock against the wood. "Come in," he heard a muffled voice say, as the door magically unlocked itself. The wizard entered the room and frowned when his witch was nowhere to be seen. "I'll be ready in a minute." Her light voice came from the bathroom, and Scorpius wandered his way around the room. He was fingering through her extensive selection of books when heard the door open behind him.

Turning around, Scorpius felt his throat choke up when he spotted her. Rose stood there in her new dress, looking like a complete goddess. Her hair was in tighter curls than normal and it shined as it bounced around her. But the smile she wore was what captivated Scorpius the most. "Merlin, Rose," he mumbled as his feet moved him forward. "You look so goddamn beautiful," Scorpius whispered as he grabbed her waist and pulled her close for a kiss. "You're perfect," he murmured against her lips, and Rose giggled back, forcing them to pull apart. "Ready?" Grabbing her coat he held it up for her, helping it into it.

"For you? Of course," the witch said with a smile. She thanked him for her wonderful gifts, as she took his arm and allowed him to lead the way. The corridors were empty, but the road they walked on to Hogsmeade was packed with students. The couple went unnoticed by all, as everyone was too busy worrying about their own dates. Cold winds softly blew, as the sun set and illuminated the sky. Rose clasped her hands around Scorpius' biceps as she allowed him to lead her through the little town, taking her past all the familiar shops.

The small girl wasn't very surprised when Scorpius took her to the village he was so very fond of. The man led her to a section of the little town she had never been before, moving forward to hold the door open for her when they arrived at their destination. Scorpius talked to the front staff as Rose had her coat taken from her, her blue eyes wandering around the restaurant. The couple was taken to a table seconds later, and Rose ignored all of the stares she got as she walked through the dining room. "They're only looking because they don't recognize you, Rosie. Don't worry though, they'll stop soon," Scorpius explained, though he was perfectly aware of all the male eyes that hungrily lingered on her.

Soon after the waiter came by, and Scorpius order them a bottle of 1966 Dom Perignon champagne, along with two glasses of water. Rose's eyes grew in size as she watched Scorpius pour a second glass of the bubbly drink and handed it to her. "Scorpius," she said in an appalled tone, causing the man to give her a questioning glance. "I can't have this," she said, sliding it back towards him, as he asked why. "I'm only sixteen, I'm underage. It's illegal."

Scorpius chuckled in his deep voice, shocked by her words. "Rose, it's perfectly fine, it's only champagne. Besides, I'm here and nothing will happen." But the witch wouldn't budge as she stared at glass, her white teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "Oh, come on, little one. Just try it, at least." Rose sighed, locking her eyes with his as she took the glass in her hand and raised it to her lips. Scorpius laughed again when he watched her eyes enlarge, as she took a long sip.

"My goodness, this is amazing!" Rose said as she took another sip of the delicious drink, gladly accepting the strawberry Scorpius handed her as he explained how it would bring out the flavor. The waiter came back not long after, asking if they would like to order for each other, something Rose had never heard of before. Looking across the table, Scorpius smirked and nodded to her.

The couple chatted happily as they sipped on their champagne, feeling the full effect of cupid's night. Some time later their meals came, a plate of alfredo pasta for Rose, and lamb dinner with vegetables for Scorpius. "My favorite," Rose exclaimed when her food was set in front of her, and Scorpius also congratulated her on a job well done. A smirk was on the wizard's face as he watched Rose become mellow throughout dinner, as the effects of drinking half a bottle of champagne caught up to her. Scorpius on the other hand, had been drinking hard liquor since he was fifteen, and felt nothing from it.

A pout formed on Rose's face when the waiter came back and Scorpius declined dessert, and he laughed loudly when he saw her. "I've got a surprise for you," he promised the sweets addicted girl, causing her to smile.

"Can I have it," the girl asked, her eyes large and shining. Scorpius nodded, setting money aside for the bill before he stood and pulled her chair out for her. After retrieving their coats, the two made their way back into the streets, Rose leaning against Scorpius as they walked. The sky was now a dark blue, and the stars twinkled in the sky as the moon illuminated the streets. They entered into Hogsmeade, but did not return to the castle as Scorpius led them to his surprise.

After some time of walking through the light snow, they arrived, and Rose gasped at what she saw. Under a huge oak tree was a large section of ground, free of snow and wetness, with a few candles hovering in the air. There was a thin blanket laid out on the ground, with several pillows on it, along with a large bag. "Scorpius, this is amazing," Rose whispered, eagerly going forward and sitting on the blanket, patting the spot next to her. Scorpius grinned as he sat himself near her, the two of them making themselves comfortable as they laid against the pillows and pulled a blanket around themselves.

Rose beamed when Scorpius reached in the bag and pulled out a book, along with a box of chocolate covered strawberries. Leaning back against the tree, he hugged her to him, as she fed herself and him the delicious sweet fruit. Grabbing the book, he opened it up to the first page and began reading, as Rose snuggled against his chest.

A few hours later, Scorpius had finished the entire novel, having caused Rose to laugh and cry with his immaculate reading voice. As they snuggled up against the cold, they gazed up at the sky and watched the stars blink and dance around for them. "Thank you so much, for all of this. It has been truly perfect," the witch whispered to him in a drowsy voice, as she pecked him on the cheek.

She instantly thought how different the night was compared to all her other Valentine's days. Rose usually spent it was Albus, as the pair stuffed their faces with sweets and mocked the holiday. The girl had to lie to her cousin that morning, feeling horribly bad about it, but thankful she had as she would have missed such a thrilling night.

They both held on to each other as they thought of the amazing day that had, the pair dreading the next day when they would go home. The wizard could tell his girl was debating something by her quietness. "Scorpius," Rose said, and broke through the silence, earning a hum in response from him. "I'm nervous," she whispered, moving to look up at his face. "I don't know how my parents are going to respond when I tell them about you."

"Don't worry," Scorpius commanded, using the arm he had wrapped around her to pull her even closer. "Everything will be fine, I know it. And even if it isn't, nothing will happen because I'm sure of one thing; I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and I will let _nothing_ stand in my way of that." The witch smiled at his words, feeling the same way.


	34. Chapter 34

Oh my, guys… thanks you all so much for the positive reinforcement, you have not idea how useful and appreciated it is. Anyways, this chapter seems to have been long awaited by many, so I hope it grows to its expectations. Thanks again, please keep up the reviews, and enjoy!

* * *

"Oomph," the petite witch landed hard on her bum, covered in soot and ashes. Rose heard a chuckle, and a hand suddenly appeared in front of her. Gladly taking it, she was pulled to her feet with a powerful tug, coming face to face with Teddy Lupin. "Thank you," she said, as they both moved forward to embrace the other. After a minute, Rose heard a impatient voice come from behind the tall man.

"Well, don't hog her. I'd like to see her too." Pulling back, the small girl peered around her so called cousin, to find Andromeda standing a few feet away. The elder women wore a beautiful smile as she stepped forward to meet Rose for a hug, squeezing her tightly. "Darling, you look stunning," the woman said, holding her out at arm's length. "Oh, well let's not linger. Come, come, I've got lunch set up in the dining room."

The three of them made their way, Teddy stepping forward to pull both of the witches chairs out, being ever the gentleman he was, having been raised by a pristine pureblood woman. The older witch watched Rose politely selected her food, as she strayed from the delicious meat, chuckling as she recalled a memory. "I remember growing up my mother, Druella, never ate meat either. She said it was too vile and cruel to kill animals and continue on to consume them. My father always laughed at her because of it." The dark haired woman smiled fondly at the recollection, as she often stopped to do.

Some time later, after catching up and light conversation, Teddy wasn't able to hold himself back any longer. "So, Rosie, I'm intrigued. What was is it you need my help with," the sandy haired man said, his hazel eyes twinkling.

Rose, being the ever nervous and concerned girl she was, instantly tangled her hands together, the cold metal of her bracelet against her wrist calming her. Andromeda's eyes instantly spotted the diamond jewelry the moment it sparkled in the light, having seen it on her sister as a young witch. "Is that," the woman said slowly, her eyes trained on the platinum band. "I've seen that bracelet before, years ago. It was Narc-" she stopped herself, though, when she noticed her grandson's curious stare, and Rose's pleading look. "Oh, never mind, it must just be my fading memory," she lied, her mind still as sharp as the day she was born.

Rose shot the woman a thankful look, as she tried her best to tell Ted about the person who had given her the bracelet. "Um, okay. So I need your help with something," she confessed, and her false cousin nodded back at her, a genuine smile and look of interest on his face. "Goodness, how do I say this," Rose mumbled to herself, causing Teddy to raise his eyebrows.

"Is everything alright, Rosie?" The man asked, clearly concerned. He reached over and grabbed her small hand, trying to settle her nerves. The wizard always had a very calming and soothing aura about him, something he had received from his father. And though he was eight years her senior, Teddy had always seemed like an older brother to Rose, someone who she could tell anything to without having him judge her.

That was why she had chosen him, she knew his opinion of her wouldn't change no matter what. "I have a boyfriend," the auburn haired girl said, shocking Ted. "And even though we've only been together for four months, I really feel something for him. He's kind, and caring, and smart, and genuine, and just perfect." A smile slid up her face, and Teddy could clearly see her feelings for him were true and deep. Andromeda recalled the conversation she had with the witch months ago, putting pieces together in her mind at a fervent rate.

The man smiled, happy that the girl he thought of as a sister had found someone. "Well that's wonderful!" The man paused suddenly confused, "but I don't understand, why do you need my help?"

"There's something else I haven't told you," Rose said quietly, her voice low and her eyes casted down. Sudden realization found the man, and in a quiet voice Teddy asked her who he was. Taking a deep breath, she sighed and looked up into his eyes, "Scorpius Malfoy."

A thick silence filled the room, and Rose wished more than anything that one of them would say anything. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Teddy spoke with the smallest look of distaste on his face, "you know who he is, right? I mean his family-"

Unexpected rage filled Rose, as she quickly stood, her hand clenched at her sides as her chair fell to the floor. Both Andromeda and her grandson were surprised, sensing Rose's magic radiating off of her.

"Don't!" The girl shouted, feeling the immense need to protect Scorpius. "You don't know a thing about him, you've never even met him. How cruel of you to sit here and judge him based on his family's past decisions. That's not fair, he hasn't done anything to deserve this!" Andromeda knew she had felt the same way years and years ago when she told her family about her Ted, and she felt great sympathy for the sweet girl.

Though he was stunned by the sudden news, Teddy understood where Rose was coming from. His whole life, the wizard had been judged by many because his father was a werewolf, or because his mother had been an Auror. And he knew the Malfoy lad probably had it so much harder. "You're right, Rosie. It isn't fair of me, and I'm sorry, I suppose I was just a tad bit taken aback."

The witch nodded, taking deep breaths and she embarrassedly picked her chair up and sat back down in it. "It's fine, I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's just people can be so spiteful and nasty to him, and for no good reason; just because they agree with his family." The trio settled down, and Rose blushed when Teddy asked her why she needed his help. "I want- no, I need to tell my parents. I'm tired of hiding whenever I'm with Scorpius just because I don't want anyone finding out. And my parents deserve to know, but I just…"

Teddy nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. "You're afraid of their response," he supplied, and Rose nodded with a grateful smile. "Well then, of course I'll help! But Rosie you needn't be scared, I'm sure your parents will understand." The witch simply nodded, hoping he was right.

* * *

"Everything will be fine, just breath," Teddy whispered to her, his hand gripping hers comfortably. It was the following evening, and Rose had decided that it was the night she would reveal her secret. Her parents, along with her Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, were in the living room, merrily chatting and laughing. Lily and Hugo were somewhere else in the home, but Rose didn't give them a second thought as her and Teddy stood outside of the sitting room. "It's time," Teddy said, moving his hand to her back and he pushed her forward as they walked into the room.

The four adults immediately noticed the pair, "oh, hello Teddy, I didn't know you were here, I'm sorry." Rose's mother apologized, as all eyes moved onto them. Chauncey was by Rose's side, nuzzling and licking her hand as he tried to calm the nerves he could sense.

The wizard chuckled, pushing her forward another step. "Oh it's fine, Hermione. I'm only here to help Rose with something," Teddy said, looking toward the short girl, who felt as if she was about to be sick.

Looking to her parents, she spoke. "I need to tell you all something, but you have to promise you won't be upset with me," Rose said quietly, as all the adults laughed and joked how she could never make them mad. She allowed Teddy to lead her over to a sofa, sitting next to her as Chauncey curled up and placed his head in her lap. Hermione and Ginny easily noticed how off she was acting, but Harry and Ron were slightly more oblivious. Rose's hands were sweating and she tried to control them as they began to shake, her lip nearly bleeding from how hard she bit on it. "I'm dating someone," she blurted out, her cheeks blushing with her words.

A brilliant smile lit Hermione's face, "oh, darling, that's great! I'm so happy for you." Harry and Ginny had similar responses, but Ron sat quietly next to his wife. Rose carefully watched her father, having expected a similar response. He sat with his back rigid as a board, his eyes darkening.

His deep voice finally spoke after a moment, "who is it?" The inquiry was simply, but it felt like one of the most difficult questions Rose had ever been asked. Her small hand ran through the soft fur of her dog as she tried not to panic.

Ignoring her father's question, Rose rambled on. "He's truly wonderful. He's smart, and kind, and honest, and giving. And I really care for him." Ginny and Hermione smiled as she confessed her feelings, glad their niece and daughter had found someone.

"That's not what I asked. Who is he," Ron intruded, his voice lowering dangerously. He refused to take his eyes off his daughter, even when his wife placed a hand on his arm and tried to calm him.

Rose looked to her feet, feeling as if she had already been defeated. Teddy noticed both Rose and Ron's reactions to each other, and understood why the girl was so nervous to tell her father. The metamorphmagus placed a hand on her back and rubbed it up and down, knowing how it calmed his daughters when they were upset. "Promise you won't be mad-"

"Who is it!" Ron now yelled, his voice loud and strong, causing Rose to flinch back. Chauncey growled at the man, baring his sharp teeth as he protected the girl. "Quiet," the redhead man yelled at the dog, ignoring him when he barked once at him.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and Rose felt her throat close up. Thinking about Scorpius, she felt her courage heighten, as she knew she needed to do this for the both of them. "Scorpius Malfoy," her voice was quiet but everyone in the silent room heard her.

Ron shouted out, his chest moving fast as he breathed heavily. "No, absolutely not! I refuse-" he was cut off when Rose shouted back at him, telling him he wasn't allowed to do such things. "I can, and I will. You are not allowed to be with that boy. The Malfoy's are horrible, sick people-"

Standing from her seat, Rose raised her voice, her anger and irritation rising, as she felt tears gather in her eyes. " _Don't do that_! How dare you judge him, how dare you tell me what I can and cannot do! I'm not a child anymore," she ignored when he suddenly protested, her voice rising over his. "You are cruel and mean, if you think you know _anything_ about him, because you don't! You don't know a thing, and you're letting your prejudices blind you from having any sense." Everyone in the room was shocked with Rose, never having seen her as upset or enraged in her entire life. "You cannot judge him based on his family, it's not fair-"

"Life's not fair, Rose," Ron cut in using her birth name, as he never did, his face red from anger. "And if you think for a second that his family will accept you and respect you, you're wrong. I don't know what lies this boy has been feeding you, but they are a bunch of pureblood supremacists." The man ignored Harry when he scolded him for his harsh words. "I forbid you from seeing him, and that is the last of it."

"Well I don't care what you say. I will not stop seeing him, because _I love him_!" Rose frozen the moment the words came out of her mouth, realizing for the first time she honestly did love him. The room was silent again, and looks of astonishment were on everyone's face, as they realized how truly mad Rose was for this man.

Ron shook his head, as if he were trying to wake himself up from a nightmare. "No, you don't. You're too young, you're just a child-"

Rose now had tears streaming down red cheeks, as her hands clutched the skirt of her dress. "I'm _not_ a child! You don't know anything," the girl shouted at her father before she fled from the room. As she ran away, Rose rushed past a dismayed looking Hugo and Lily, and she belatedly realized they had probably heard every word, but she didn't care. She heard the sound of her mother's voice calling after her, but she ignored it, running up the stairs to her room.

Sobs wracked her entire body when Rose slammed the door shut behind her, as she flung herself into her big bed. The small witch curled up in a ball, crying as she gripped Scorpius' sweater tightly to her, inhaling his scent like it was a drug. Rose wanted him. She wanted and needed Scorpius by her side more than anything and she would give the world just for him to hold her for a second. Chauncey, who had followed her, jumped up onto her bed, whining and licking her wet face as he laid down beside her. Minutes passed by and Rose heard a small knock on the door, but she did nothing. A moment later, her mother walked in, with Ginny by her side.

The two of them sighed when they saw the distraught state of the girl, feeling their hearts break as they listened to her sob. "Oh, sweetheart," Hermione swore as she quickly walked over and sat on her bed, Ginny going to the other side. Reaching out a hand, her aunt rubbed Rose's back soothingly, wanting for nothing more than to have her be happy again. The two women coddled and shushed Rose for an hour, but nothing seemed to help as she continued to cry into her pillows.

Rose looked up when another knock was heard, as her Uncle Harry shyly entered the room, using a finger to push his glasses up his nose. The distraught witch let out a sob when she saw him, standing from her bed to run over to him and into his arms. "Uncle Harry," Rose mumbled into his chest, her tears and mucus wetting the front of his shirt as he squeezed her back. "You've got to talk to him for me. Please," she said, looking up to him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen.

"I'll do my best," Harry promised, bending down to press a kiss to her forehead as he allowed her to cry into his arms for as long as she needed.

* * *

Scorpius took long strides down the corridors of the manor, looking for his parents. "Dear, do you like this color," a feminine voice asked from inside one of the drawing rooms, and Scorpius smirked when he heard his father's falsely enthusiastic response. Astoria looked up and smiled when she heard her son's footsteps, as she embroidered an intricate pattern onto crème colored fabric. "Hello, darling," she greeted, causing Draco to look up from the papers he was reading.

The young man moved and sat on the opposite end of the long sofa that his father was on. "Can I talk to you," Scorpius asked, though his words were directed towards his mother. The beautiful woman looked up, nodding as she set down her work on the small table next to her. "I'm courting someone," he revealed suddenly, taking his mother off guard.

Astoria recovered quickly though, and she smiled stunningly, feeling extraordinarily happy. "Scorpius, that's incredible," she quickly said, though she was put off when she saw her husband didn't look the least bit shocked. "Did you know," she asked Draco, feeling slightly offended.

"I guessed a month or two ago, he didn't tell me a thing," the older blonde man said, finally setting his paper aside. Scorpius' mother nodded, knowing just how observant her husband could be, and she then asked who the girl was.

"Her name is Rose," Scorpius said, and his mother smiled, telling him how beautiful of a name it was. The young man agreed, and paused a moment before speaking again, "Rose Weasley."

Astoria paused, her eyes curious, as she glanced at her husband and saw him calm as ever. "A Weasley?" She asked, stunned with her son's words. When he nodded, the witch went on, "oh, well that certainly is…" but her words faded off, and Scorpius was unsure whether that was a good or bad sign. "Who are her parents," his mother asked, as it was so hard to keep track of the big family.

Scorpius cleared his throat, "Ron and Hermione Weasley." Astoria nodded, still having a hard time wrapping her mind around the news. Up until moments before, she had thought her son was content on being lonely for his entire life. And never in a million years would she have thought that he would engage a relationship with a Weasley child.

"Wait a moment," Astoria said, thinking back. "Is she the girl that was in the Daily Prophet recently? The incredibly brilliant one," Scorpius confirmed with a nod, feeling proud of his little witch. "Well, that is wonderful! I want to meet her right away." Scorpius had expected something similar to his mother's demand, and was prepared.

The young wizard nodded, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop his overly excited mother from meeting Rose. "Alright, but there is one condition," his parents looked to him, curiously. "You can meet her, however, it will only be the four of us. I don't want her meet anyone else yet," Draco and Astoria nodded, understanding the reason in his request.

Scorpius stood to leave then, dropping a kiss on his mother's cheek as he always did before he exited. His footsteps clicked as he left the room, and Scorpius smiled, feeling proud that his family now knew about his wonderful witch.


	35. Chapter 35

Hi, guys! I am glad all of you seemed to like the long awaited chapter of Rose telling her parents, and alongside that; Ron's reaction. What will happen next..? Will the pair make up, or will Ron stay stubborn as ever?

I always just wanted to say that some of my favorite chapters are coming up, and this story just getting good.

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The soft material of his expensive sweater felt heavenly against her skin, his scent like an addictive drug to her, as she allowed herself to drown in it. Rose was wearing his black jumper, which she had stolen from him seven days ago. She wished more than anything that she could be back in his arms, feeling safe from the world and everyone else as he held her. It had been two days since the fallout with her father, and Rose had yet to leave her room. She refused to eat her meals, or talk to anyone except her mother. She had cried for hours, and just when she thought she was all out of tears, it started all over again. The witch hadn't seen her father since the night her yelled at her, something she was extraordinarily grateful for.

In her whole life, she had never had an outburst as bad as that. Rose had never talked back or gone against orders, but that night she refused to allowed her father belittle Scorpius the way he did. In the forty eight hours she had spent in her room, she had realized one thing; she truly did love Scorpius. The thought of it still terrified Rose, but she knew there was no other way to describe her feelings for him. It had only been days since she had seen him, but she ached for him as if they had been apart for years.

Since the fallout with her father, Rose had sent several owls to Scorpius, in which she told told him about what had happened. And in reply, she learned he had told his parents, and had invited her over to the manor for dinner sometime over break, which sacred yet elated her at the same time.

Rose was staring out the window, watching raindrops trail down the glass, as her hand slowly stroked through Chauncey's soft fur. The girl didn't move an inch when she heard a knock on the door, not caring to get up or answer it. Rose heard the door slowly open a moment later, and soft footsteps led to the dip next to her in her bed.

"Rosie, darling, you have to get up. This isn't healthy, sweetheart, you're starving yourself." Hermione's gentle voice soothed the girl, whose eyes remained staring out the window. A hand came up to stroke her hair, "I made your favorite cookies for you." The older woman sighed when she got no response, as she looked down at her daughter. It broke her heart to see her in so much pain.

Several minutes later Hermione left, realizing she was getting nowhere. Rose sighed when her mother was gone, feeling awful having ignored her. The girl thought nothing of it when half a hour later she heard another knock on the door, assuming it was her mother. Rose was shocked when she heard heavy footsteps in her room, as a deep voice cleared, "Rosie." She was surprised to hear her father's voice, but she didn't move. She was even more surprised when he walked around the bed and sat on the floor right in front of her, bringing their faces level with each other. "Can we talk," the man asked, feeling ashamed when his daughter simply closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rosie… for everything. I shouldn't have acted the way I did the other night, and I need you to know that I didn't mean what I said, and I am thoroughly ashamed of actions. I didn't give you a chance to speak, but if you're willing, I'd like to hear what you have to say." To say Rose was amazed, would have been a huge understatement. The last thing she expected from her father was an apology, given how stubborn he could get.

Her blue eyes finally opened, looking back at a matching pair of apologetic ones. "He's wonderful," Rose said after a minute of intense staring, her voice rough from crying so much. "Scorpius is honest, and faithful, and passionate with the things he cares about. And I know you say I'm too young to know what love is, but I honestly feel something real and deep for him. And when I think about not being with him my heart hurts, and I begin to panic, because I truly can't picture a life worth living without him in it."

Ron stared at his daughter for several long seconds, wondering where the his little baby girl had gone. As he listened to her, he understood, because he felt the same exact way for a certain bushy haired woman. Ron knew just how Rose felt, and he couldn't bare to say no to her, because he knew he would be breaking her beautiful heart. "Alright," he said with a sigh, knowing he would regret his words the moment they fell out of his mouth. "I trust your judgment, and if you say he is a good person, I'll believe you. I'm not going to stop you from seeing him, but just know I'm not happy about it."

A cry of joy escaped Rose as she leapt out of her bed and into her father's arms. She thanked him over and over as she squeezed him tight, tears of happiness falling down her face. "You didn't let me get my terms of agreement out," Ron said, watching a look of panic cross Rose's face as she sat back on her bed. "Number one, I want to meet him, right away." The girl nodded, wanting to see her boyfriend almost as bad as her father did. "Number two, if he hurts you in anyway I will _not_ hesitate to kill him. And number three, you need to get your butt downstairs this instant and eat those cookies your mother slaved over and somehow managed not to burn."

Rose nodded, hugging him as she thanked him yet again for having faith in her. Ron's smile was just as bright as his daughter's, happy to see her back to her normal self again. After sending Scorpius a letter, the two of them made their way down the stairs, hand in hand, matching smiles on their faces.

* * *

The very next day found Rose with a pace slower than molasses, much to her dismay. The little witch was sitting on the couch, her leg bouncing up and down as she watched the clock that sat on the mantle. Hugo groaned for the millionth time that night, feeling put out since his mother refused to let him dismiss himself from dinner. "Rosie, quit it," he shouted, thoroughly agitated as he pulled his attention from his magazine to place a hand on her bouncing knee. The boy rolled his eyes when his father scolded him for yelling, going back to his article on Puddlemere United.

A bell tolled through the house at exactly five on the dot, signaling the presence of a visitor in the front house. Everyone ignored when Ron mumbled something about brownnosing as he looked to the clock and found that their guest was perfectly on time. "I'll go," Rose said enthusiastically as she jumped up from the couch and hurried out the front door, not hearing her mother's plea for her to take a coat. The witch ran down the extraordinarily long driveway, the trees that lined the path whipping past her. A full minute later she reached the large front garage, the place where Scorpius would be.

A smile was stuck on Rose's face as she whipped the door open, spotting her wizard standing across the room from her, looking dashing as ever. The wizard was fully prepared when Rose rushed forward and launched herself into his awaiting arms. Their lips quickly found each other, and they met in the middle with a passionate kiss. "Hello," Scorpius said when they pulled back, still holding the out of breath girl in his arms.

"Hi," Rose replied, pecking him on the cheek before she pulled back and grabbed his hand, noticing the lovely bouquet of flowers he held in the other. "I've missed you," the witch said, blushing when he said it back to her. She laughed when Scorpius commented on how nice her home was, as he looked around the room with nothing but a fireplace, couch, and telephone. Her smile was beaming and the dimple on her cheek was shown off.

"This is only the front garage," she explained, "you Floo-ed into here because the fireplace in the house didn't recognize your magic. Once you've been in our home you can Floo in and out normally, along with apparating anywhere on the property." Scorpius nodded, realizing just how insanely cautious her father was. "Come on," Rose said, pulling him out of the small room and out onto the driveway leading to the house. "Everyone is excited to met you."

Scorpius swallowed thickly, not nearly letting on how nervous he was. "About that, your father isn't going to curse me or anything, right?" Rose laughed, promising him her father had sworn to be on his best behavior. The couple made their way down the extensive path to the house, and Scorpius was shocked when her home came into view.

He wasn't exactly sure what he had been picturing, but it wasn't what he saw. In front of them stood a big colonial styled house, painted white with blue shutters and warm light glowing from all the large windows. Scorpius pushed his panic down as Rose opened the front doors, holding his hand as she led him into the home. The moment they entered a delicious scent of dinner hit Scorpius, and his mouth immediately watered.

Scorpius was hardly able to resist from jumping back when he heard a loud barking, looking forward to see a large blonde dog baring its teeth and growling. "Oh shush, Chauncey," Rose said easily, moving forward pet the dog. The protective canine slowly moved forward, and Scorpius stuck a hand out in front of him and allowed the dog to sniff him as he stood still. "Go on," the witch said to her dog, and Scorpius was impressed when it took orders, giving him one last glance before he slowly trotted away. Rose grabbed his pale hand again, eagerly pulling him forward, "come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Rose led Scorpius to the kitchen first, where he was greeted with a curly haired women, who strongly resembled Rose, aside from her chestnut eyes. The woman stopped what she was doing when the two walked in, a smile on her face when she spotted them, seeing how clearly thrilled Rose was. "Mum, this is Scorpius," Rose introduced them.

The tall man stepped forward, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Weasley." Rose's mother was shocked at how much Scorpius resembled his father, down to the silver hair and matching eyes. Hermione moved to shake his hand, blushing when he handed her the lovely bunch of fresh lilies.

"Hello, it is wonderful meeting you too, and thank you so much, they're beautiful. But please, call me Hermione." In that moment, Hugo walked into the room, going straight towards the food his mother had spent all day preparing. Hermione slapped her son's hand when it reached for the brownies Rose had made, "Hugo, where are your manners?" The young man seemed put down, and he was shocked when he looked past his mother and found his sister with her guest.

Rose pointed to her brother, the tall auburn haired boy Scorpius had briefly seen weeks earlier. "This is Hugo, my brother, but I suppose you sort of already met." The blue eyed boy moved forward, shaking the blonde man's strong hand when he put it out. "We should find dad," Rose suggested, and Scorpius felt his blood pressure skyrocket. She led him into the living room, where Ron was sitting on a chair, reading the Daily Prophet. "Daddy," Rose said tentatively, grabbing the ginger haired man's attention.

The wizard in front of him had a lesser resemblance to Rose than her mother, but it was clear she got her tint of red hair and bright baby blue eyes from him. Ron placed his newspaper on the chair and got up, standing eye to eye with Scorpius when he approached the two. "Scorpius, this is my father, Ron."

Two pale hands met in the middle, and they greeted each other with firm grips. "Nice to meet you, sir," Scorpius said, sounding every bit like his father. The man nodded back, his eyes tight and his expression unreadable. Rose let out a breath when Hermione announced dinner was ready from the kitchen, and she took Scorpius' arm to lead him to the dining room.

When they walked in they spotted Hermione setting the flowers Scorpius had given to her on the middle of the table, with loads of delicious food surrounding it. "Scorpius, these are stunning. How on Earth did you find such blossomed lilies at this time of year?" Rose led her guest to the seat next to her, as Hugo sat across from them, and her two parents at the ends of the table.

"My mother grew those, actually. She has a full garden and somehow manages to keep all of her plants alive year round." Hermione nodded, thanking the young man again. Rose grabbed Scorpius' hand a moment later and rested it on the table, and though he thought it was odd as she had never left their hands in such a place during a meal before, he said nothing. But when Hermione who sat on his other side reached for his hand too, he couldn't hide his confused expression.

The older woman let out a laugh at his uncertainty, "we say grace before our meals. Would you mind joining us?" Quickly shaking his head, Scorpius grabbed the witch's hand and followed the family as they closed their eyes and bowed their heads slightly. Rose's mother's voice rang out again, sounding steady and calming, "let us thank God for food when others are hungry; for drink when others are thirsty; and for friends when others are lonely."

"Amen," the family called out, and Scorpius opened his eyes when he felt Rose's hand pull from his. He looked to her and she smiled hugely at him, happier than she could explain to have him by her side. Everyone began eating then, filling their plates with the food Rose's mother had so carefully prepared.

The brunette haired women smiled when Scorpius commented on how lovely her home was. "Oh, well thank you. Ron, along with his brothers and father, built it for us about twenty years ago, when we just got married." The woman let out a small chuckle, "actually about mid way through the process, we almost had a bit of a mishap with the ministry, as they were using magic in the open muggle public. So the poor boys had to finish building the house without magic." Ron grumbled out, recalling how annoying it had been.

"Rose says you're in Slytherin," Ron said minutes later, his eyes trained on Scorpius as he nodded. "And you're the Quidditch captain," the blonde man confirmed, "well you must be some sort of good if you've managed to lead your house to win the Quidditch Cup the past three years. You think you'll win again this year?" Hermione and Rose were both shocked at how social Ron was being, though he had promised to be on his best behavior.

Scorpius nodded, and Ron admired the determination he saw in his grey eyes. "I'm hoping to, sir." Rose's father then asked him about his plans after school, intriguing Rose as that was something he had never told her. "Well, I've gotten offers from four different professional Quidditch teams to play for them-"

"You have?" Rose asked suddenly, shocked by his words. She was thoroughly scared by the sudden thought of him traveling around the world, like her cousin James did.

The blonde man looked to his witch, and easily saw the look of distress on her pretty face. "Yes, but I don't have any interest of taking any of their offers." Scorpius laughed when Hugo rolled his eyes and called him crazy under his breath. "I will admit, I'm sure it would be very fascinating profession, it's just not for me. I've been training to work in the family business since I was twelve."

For the first time during dinner, Hugo spoke up. "What exactly _is_ your family business," his question was highly suspicious sounding, and Scorpius had to stop from laughing.

Clearing his throat, Scorpius answered, "mostly the buying and selling of stocks and businesses, but also managing the dozen apothecaries we own around Europe." Hermione chimed in then, stating how she hadn't a clue his family owned potion shops. "Not many people do know about them. My great great grandfather and his wife started one in Scotland in 1921, and they expanded from there. After the war my father restored all twelve of them."

The remainder of dinner went on smoothly, as Scorpius answered all and every question he was asked, managing to fully impress Hermione and Ron. Rose smiled as her parents got to know Scorpius, knowing they no longer had any bad thoughts on him.

Though Scorpius found himself frozen, and shocked, when he saw something that made his blood boil. Just as Hermione was setting the desserts on the table, Scorpius' grey eyes caught sight of a light, faded scar on the woman's left forearm. The wizard swallowed hard as he stared at the cruel word that looked like it was so brutally carved into Rose's mother's flesh. When Scorpius looked up he caught Hermione's eyes, and the woman was surprised by the amount of sorrow and guilt that was in the boy's grey iris', as if trying to apologize for someone else's doing.

Ron, too, had caught the exchange, and was also pleasantly caught off guard when he saw the emotion of disappointment clear on Scorpius' face. The wizard had only ever heard of what had happened, and was lucky enough to never have had the pleasure of meeting his great-aunt Bellatrix. But he wished he could go back and stop what occurred.

Just then Rose, and her clumsy self, tipped over her cup of water and spilled it across the table. Scorpius reached forward just in time to pick up the glass before it shattered to pieces. Rose had a blooming blush on her face as she smiled shyly and apologized, causing everyone to laugh.

The Slytherin learned of his girlfriend's astounding baking skills when the desserts came out, making her promise to bake for him sometime. Just as Rose stood to leave the table and escort Scorpius to the fireplace to Floo home, Hermione caught sight of the sparkling bracelet on her daughter's wrist for the first time.

The brunette spoke up, her eyes drawn to the exquisite diamond jewelry, "my, Rosie, where on Earth did you get that?"

All eyes followed Rose's mother's, and Scorpius cleared his throat, feeling the need to explain himself. "I gave it to Rose as a Christmas present," the blonde man said, all of Rose's family looking to him as his thick voice spoke up. "It is a family heirloom, it's over twenty generations old." The small auburn haired girl smiled at Scorpius, feeling a pride at the thought of wearing it.

Eight thirty found them quickly, and Rose stood alone with Scorpius in the living room, not wanting to say goodbye. "You'll be over for dinner on Thursday, right," the witch nodded, already feeling nervous over the event. "Good," Scorpius said with a smile, "my mother is dying to meet you."

"What if she doesn't like me," the girl asked nervously, her eye glued to the floor. She had heard several rumors about the Malfoy parents, and most of them were about how difficult to please they were.

Scorpius reached a finger under her chin, tilting her face up until she looked back into his enigmatic eyes. "she'll love you, they both will. I promise you, little lamb. You have nothing to worry about." Rose nodded, smiling and showing off her dimple as Scorpius bent down and brought his lips to hers. The two kissed each other for a long moment, his thumb rubbing up and down Rose's soft cheek, as she sighed into the embrace, wishing it could last forever.

When they finally pulled apart Rose wore a silly crooked smile on her face, as she leaned in and embraced him tightly. "Goodnight, Rose," Scorpius whispered in his low voice, and Rose watched as he disappeared into the flaming fire.

The small girl frowned to herself when he was gone, knowing that the time until she next saw him would surely kill her.


	36. Chapter 36

Sorry this chapter is a little later than usual, I try my best to get them up around the same time everyday but that some times can prove to be difficult. Anyways I am so glad you all seem to be enjoying the story so far. Tell me your thoughts on this chapter… as you know the Malfoy family is my favorite in the entire series, so as you could imagine I was thrilled to write this. Enjoy!

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The sound of heels clicking against wooden floors could be heard from several corridors away. A dark haired woman shuffled around the room, making sure everything was perfectly aligned. The witch sighed as she stood back and looked the room over one last time, huffing when she found one of the couch cushions crooked. Scorpius rolled his eyes when he entered the room and found his mother frantically tidying. "Calm down, mother, I seriously doubt Rose's opinion of you will depend on whether pillows are fluffed or not. You needn't worry, she'll love you no matter what."

Astoria nodded, adjusting the cushion one last time before looking to her son. "You look dashing, dear," the woman said, adjusting the collar of the button up shirt he wore. "And I know, I'm just quite pleased to meet her. Now, she'll be here any moment, I am going to go check on dinner and see how it is coming along." He watched his mother hurry out of the room, and a second later his father walked in.

The shorter blonde man smiled at his son, opening his mouth to speak just as a House elf entered the room to inform them that their guest had arrived. Draco looked to his son, a smile on his face when he saw how elated he looked. "Why don't you go fetch her, and I'll call for your mother, I'm sure she would hate to be even a moment late." The two of them grinned at each other, Scorpius leaving a second later headed to the front foyer.

His footsteps were quiet as he descended the staircase and entered the room, and that was probably why Rose didn't hear him. Scorpius smirked as she watched her dust soot off of her coat, thinking she probably tripped and fell as she landed, knowing just how clumsy she was. The girl sighed when she realized the ashes on her clothes were going nowhere, as she brought a hand up to push a strand of long wavy hair behind her ear. Rose looked up when she heard a husky chuckle, smiling the second she saw Scorpius walking towards her.

The two of them didn't say a word as Scorpius slowly approached her, cupping the side of her face with his hand when he was close. Standing on her tippy toes, Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. Their lips met, and they kissed each other slowly, happy to be in each other's presence. "Hello, handsome," Rose whispered to him when they pulled apart, her eyes admiring the way his muscles were shown off through his shirt.

"You look beautiful," Scorpius said as he helped her out of her coat, watching her blush as he handed the garment to a House elf. Rose wore a dark forest green dress, with black tights, and the bracelet Scorpius had given her shining on her wrist. And to Scorpius, she looked like a masterpiece from a painting. "Come on, my parents are waiting in the drawing room, they're dying to meet you."

Rose quickly pulled her hand back when Scorpius reached for it, causing him to look to her face and see the panic written all over it. "Wait," she said, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. "What if they don't like me? I mean-"

A long pale finger came up and covered her lips, stopping her from worrying herself. "Shush, doll," the blonde man said simply, chuckling when she followed his orders with wide eyes. "Do you trust me," he asked, and Rose nodded without a second thought, pleasing Scorpius deeply. The man leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek, "well then, don't worry about it." She allowed him to grab her hand this time, and slowly, the couple made their way up the grand staircase and through halls.

When they entered a certain corridor, Rose heard two voices; one honeyed and slightly plummy, the other deep and calming like Scorpius', but older. Scorpius squeezed Rose's hand as they entered the room the voices were coming from, calming her with his reaffirming touch. A burning hot and bright blush lit up her cheeks as she tripped over nothing and stumbled forward, though Scorpius caught her with a smirk and quiet chuckle. Trying to settle her embarrassment over her less-than graceful entrance, Rose was greeted with the sight of a very attractive couple when she walked in, both different in appearances.

The man had whitish blonde hair, with pale eyes and skin, a carbon copy of Scorpius. The woman had thick dark hair, with green eyes, her skin tanned as if she had just come back from holiday. Both of the two were impeccably dressed, and held an aristocratic air about them. Though, all signs of arrogance left the second the couple turned to her and welcoming smiles appeared on their faces. "Rose, this is my mother, Astoria, and my father, Draco," Scorpius said, his hand moving to her back.

Scorpius' mother walked towards them with a grand smile on her beautiful face. "Oh, Scorpius, she's gorgeous! Rose, it's wonderful to meet you," the woman said, surprising the blushing girl when she moved in for a hug. Rose was wafted with an appealing floral scent, and she guessed it was from all the time spent in her notorious garden. When the witch pulled back, her husband was by her side, as he slid an arm around her waist.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs Malfoy," Rose said sweetly, unintentionally leaning in closer to Scorpius, something Draco noticed.

" _Finally_?" Astoria repeated, her eyebrows raised as she accusingly looked to her son. "How long have you been hiding this beautiful young lady from me," Rose blushed again, and Scorpius grumbled to his mother. "Oh, and please call me Astoria, dear." Draco introduced himself then, his grey eyes a twin pair to Scorpius', yet they held more scarring in them. The four of them made their way to the dining hall a second later, several portraits glaring and huffing as Rose passed by. Each and every inch of the huge home was covered in lavish and expensive décor, flaunting the wealth the family held. The small girl felt out of place when she entered the grandiose room, as Scorpius led her to the table and pulled out her chair, sitting himself in the seat across from her.

A pair of House elves came round, offering the table a variety of drinks. Rose blushed and nervously rejected the champagne she was offered, thinking back to Valentine's night. Scorpius barked out laugh when he noticed her do so, causing her to color further, as his parents gave him strange glances. The first course was served, and Rose wondered how a simple salad could taste so good.

The main course was brought out some time later, and Astoria worried when she noticed that Rose didn't put any of the steak on her plate. "Is something wrong with the meat," the woman asked, worried she had a flaw in her night.

"Oh, nothing's wrong with it. I'm just a vegetarian, so I don't eat any meat." Rose felt guilty for not taking any of the food, knowing it probably took several long hours to perfect.

Astoria looked back to her son, "Scorpius! Why on Earth didn't you tell me, I could have prepared something different." The blonde man looked ashamed, admitting he had forgotten about her diet restriction, though Rose insisted it was fine.

"That's a very noble thing of you to do," Draco said, admiring Rose's ability to stray from such a large part of most people's diet. The humble witch admitted it was rather easy, as she could hardly stand the taste of all meats. "Scorpius has told us your training to be a Healer," the man said moments later, as he reached for his wine and sipped it.

Rose nodded, tucking a piece of auburn hair behind her ear. "Oh, yes. I started my training in fourth year, when I realized I was interested in the field of work. And so now, when I graduate this spring, I'll have already completed a full year of training, and I'll only need one more."

"I don't know why they don't just make you a Healer right now." Looking to his parents, Scorpius explained, "she could heal any injury, on anyone, under any circumstances." Astoria smiled at her son, seeing how clearly proud of her he was.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Rose said modestly. Draco then asked her about the exam, having heard she had a mind like no other. "It's nothing major. I mean, technically, I scored higher than all the past participants had, but that doesn't really prove anything. And who knows, there could be someone ten times smarter than me, who just didn't take the exam." The older wizard admired the girl's ability to stay humble, knowing most would be bragging with the brains she had.

Astoria smiled at the girl, already feeling an attachment towards the witch. "Even if that is so, I must applaud you for your bright mind. Perhaps you're the reason my son's grades have come up in the past few weeks."

With a look of shock and pride on her face, Rose turned to Scorpius. "Have they? Well that's marvelous." Looking back to Astoria, she added, "but honestly, I haven't really done anything to help… well aside making him read loads more." Said wizard chuckled, agreeing that his daily book intake had certainly reached an all time high.

Dinner went on without a flaw, and by the time the desserts were being served, Astoria and Draco were telling Rose all different stories from Scorpius' childhood. Rose's face was pink from laughing so hard as Scorpius' father recalled a particularly good tale. "And as I walked by an opened window, I hear a whole lot of noise coming from down in the yard. By the time I reached him, Scorpius had already managed to get four of the six horses into the pool. It was the most hysterical sight I had ever seen, him soaked to the bone and the massive horses trying to swim around him. It took hours to get all the frightened horses out of the water and back into the barn. From then on out we started locking the gates to the stables."

Scorpius glared at his father for telling the mortifying story, though he would allow him to do so all night if that meant he got to listen to Rose's glorious laugh. Looking to the giggling girl, he stuck up for himself. "In my defense, my cousin Edmund had told me that if you manage to get cattle into water you'd be able to talk to animals." Rose only laughed harder, asking him why he believed him.

The wizard allowed one or two more embarrassing tales to be told about him before he put an end to it. "If you're both finished with humiliating me, I think I'm going to give Rose a tour of the gardens." Scorpius stood from his chair, leaving the room to fetch their coats.

"Thank you so much for dinner, it was really wonderful meeting you both," Rose said with a lovely smile. Her wizard returned then, holding their jackets as he moved to pull Rose's chair out for her. Astoria stood to give her another embrace, and Draco gave her a warm smile, telling her how she was welcome back any time. Scorpius grabbed her small hand in his bigger one, and led her through the large maze that was the corridors of the manor. "Your home is massive, I don't know how you don't constantly get lost."

Scorpius laughed, "I have gotten a bit off track a couple times before, when not paying attention to where I was going. But I grew up in here, I've been navigating these halls since I learned how to walk." The couple continued their journey across the manor, but Rose stopped and pulled Scorpius back when she looked inside a particular room.

"Wait," Rose said gently, dropping his hand as she walked into the room. Scorpius trailed in behind her, smirking when he realized she had spotted his music room. The witch's jaw dropped as she looked around the huge room with sky high ceilings. There was every single instrument known to man in the room, but the center of attention was the grand piano that sat amongst all of the pretty music makers. Rose looked back to Scorpius with a pout on her face, and he laughed as she walked over to him with a certain look in her eyes. "Pretty please," she said, as it wasn't necessary for her to explain what she wanted.

After a long minute of the adorable witch pouting and begging, Scorpius caved. He dropped their jackets off on a table, sighing as he rolled up his sleeves and made his way over to the piano. Rose smiled brightly as she followed him, sitting beside him on the plush piano bench. The wizard lifted the lid to the glossy box, trying out a few keys before he began effortlessly playing a melody. Blue eyes watched as his long fingers moved at an expert speed, his pale hands a blur with the white keys.

Rose had never felt as at peace as she did in that moment, as she closed her eyes and allowed the music to fill her. The vibrations of the strings went straight through her, shaking her bones. Somewhere else in the manor, Astoria and Draco sat in a stunned silence as they listened to the far away music. They both smiled, knowing the little witch was doing great things to Scorpius, as their son hadn't played music in front of anyone in quite a bit.

The blonde man played several different songs for Rose, but stopped after the fifth one. He looked to his side and found a silly smile on her face, as she pecked him on the cheek and thanked him. "You play beautifully," Rose complimented, taking his hand when he offered it to her. Scorpius helped her into her coat when they reached the doors to the garden, putting on his before he offered her his arm and led her out.

A gasp escaped Rose when she suddenly found herself surrounded by the most extraordinary flowers she had ever seen. A heavy floral scent encased the girl, and she thought of Andromeda, and how the lovely witch always smelt like a garden. "Oh, this is incredible," Rose sighed as she wandered off into the colorful jungle of perfectly arranged flowers. She saw all different types of plants, both magical and muggle, and Rose wondered how one could keep all of them alive during the cold of winter. Scorpius was always a step or two behind her, content on just watching his little witch explore the depths of his mother's garden.

As he stopped to admire his mother's peonies, memories flooded back to Scorpius of when he helped her plant them when he was just a child. And they still remained flourished and stunning as the day they bloomed. When he looked back up, his little witch was gone. "Rosie," Scorpius called out in his booming voice.

A grin found the man when he heard a giggle from far off, no doubt in his mind that it was coming from his Rose. "Alright," he said loud enough that he knew she would hear. "You want to play, we'll play. I'll find you one way or another."

A smirk to challenge fell upon Scorpius' lips when he heard her light voice next, "you can try, old man." The insulting name made the Slytherin chuckle, as he quieted his footsteps and went on the hunt.

The search continued on for a few minutes, with Rose's sweet giggles sounding out every now and again. Scorpius wore a devious smile when he turned a corner and found his witch standing a couple feet away from him, facing away. The lion had found his lamb. In the next second, Scorpius had snuck forward and scooped Rose up into his arms effortlessly. A light shriek left her as she was spun around, not bothered in the least that she was defeated.

Setting her back down, Scorpius bent low and grabbed her face, kissing her hard for a long second before pulling back. Her blue eyes were wide and sparkling with happiness; the way Scorpius loved to see them. Taking her hand, he wordlessly began leading her again, matching silly grins on their faces.

When they finally reached the center of the flowery maze they were faced with a big marble fountain. Rose admired it for an instant, before she turned around to Scorpius, pleasing him with how delighted she looked. She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and laying her head on his chest, as he pulled her in close. "Your parents are lovely," Rose said, her voice muffled by his jacket.

He grinned as he looked off into the distance, enjoying the way she snuggled closer to him. "They seem to be rather taken with you, but then again, I did expect such a reaction." Scorpius felt light hearted as he held his girl, closing his eyes as he inhaled her delicious sweet scent. Rose listened to his heart for a while, one of her favorite things to do, until finally she pulled away.

"I don't want to leave you," Rose said with a slight pout. The thought of retrieving to her home after such an incredible night was horrific. She wished more than anything that she could stay wrapped up in his warm strong arms forever.

Scorpius reached a hand up and caressed the side of her face, loving the way she reacted to his touch. "Then don't," he said, like it was the most simple thing. He stared deep into her ocean blue eyes as his thumb moved to stroke over her bottom lip, "don't ever leave me, Rose." Her eyes closed as he bent lower, his mouth landing on her sweet lips seconds later.

Rose moved one of her hands over his beating heart, the other going to play with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. Scorpius groaned into her mouth when she darted her tongue out, allowing her entrance as she massaged his own tongue. His hands on her waist fisted her coat as he pulled her even closer, feeling her gasp into his mouth. Rose felt a burn deep in the pit of her stomach when Scorpius bit on her lower lip, as one of his hands slid down her back and grabbed her bum. They allowed all the passion they felt for each other flow into the kiss, and when they finally pulled back, they were panting.

"I've got a surprise for you," Scorpius teased as his thumb stroked her lip again, enjoying how they were now swollen and slightly bruised. Rose grinned, and immediately asked for it, feeling exceedingly cheerful. "You've got to wait until we're back at school until you can see it," Scorpius said, laughing when Rose sulked in his arms.

She begged for a few minutes before realizing he was much more stubborn than she. "Fine, but it better be _real_ good."

Scorpius smiled down at her, "only the very best for you." Rose let out a giggle, beaming up at him as he cupped her face and pulled her back into a kiss. The couple stayed out in the garden for the next half hour, until they reluctantly pulled away, knowing Rose had better get home.

That night, after his wondrous witch had gone home, Scorpius went to his father's study, knowing he would find him there. Draco looked up and saw a foolish grin on his son's face, and he knew at that moment he had fallen hard for the girl, even if Scorpius didn't know it himself.


	37. Chapter 37

I am so pleased that you enjoyed last chapter, and my impression of the Malfoy family, I hope you all love them as much as I do. Anyways I would like to ask you all a question; how long do you think it will take before Rose and Scorpius confession their feelings for each other? Do you think they will do it all on their own or will be forced to? Tell me what you believe will happen. Leave me your guesses in the reviews, I am super interested to see what you all think. But in the meantime… enjoy!

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Molly Weasley I thought of herself as a simple woman. She like simple things, and lived a simple life. This was probably the reason why the witch felt such joy from such a simple thing; a family dinner. The witch smiled from her spot in between her husband and eldest son as she looked around the table and watched everyone. The incredible lady had managed to get her entire family together one last time before the young ones went back to school the following day. All twenty seven members of the Weasley, Potter, Lupin clan had gathered on that Saturday, and the cheer and fun was in full force.

"I'd like to make a toast," James said loudly, grabbing everyone's attention as he stood from his chair with a glass in hand. "To my ever so lovely cousin," the dark haired man looked to Rose with his glasses slipping down his nose, a lopsided grin on his face. "Congrats, Rosie, I'm so proud of you, I always knew you were the smartest witch in all of history, cheers!" The table cheered and clapped loudly, clinking their drinks as they all congratulated Rose on a job well done.

A deep blushed formed on the girl's cheeks, as she had always hated being the center of attention. Mariah and Whitney handed Rose a picture then, a sweet drawing they had made when they found out the news. "Oh, thanks you, girls. It's wonderful," Rose said, causing the twins to giggle and smile at her. The Ravenclaw managed to keep all attention off of her for a long time… that was until young Molly spoke up.

Rose always had a very good relationship will _all_ of her cousins, that was, except for Molly II. The witch had always envied Rose for many reasons; her popularity, her smarts, her beauty, her charming and sweet personality, and it killed Molly even more to know Rose didn't try for any of it. Molly had always been the center of attention, that was until her cousin came along six years later. The Ravenclaw never understood why her cousin disliked her so much, and even the adults had noticed it, but they all told her to ignore it.

So, though Rose was stunned when Molly spoke up, she wasn't truly surprised she would do such a wicked thing. The older witch with bright red hair had a smirk on her face as she raised her voice up high, and yelled to her cousin across the table. "So, Rose, rumor is you got yourself a boyfriend. Is it true, has little miss perfect finally found someone compatible for her?" Molly ignored her father when he scolded her for being rude, but it was far too late, the entire table had heard.

Rose, along with all the other seven who knew about her boyfriend, immediately froze. "That's ridiculous," Albus scoffed as he shoved another spoonful of food onto his plate. "Rosie doesn't have a boyfriend." Dread and fear quickly filled Rose's stomach, as she began to panic thinking about how she wasn't ready to tell her everyone.

"You're sure," Molly asked in a tantalizing voice, smirking as she had finally found a flaw in her dear cousin.

Albus quickly snapped, never having been too fond of his older cousin. "Of course I'm sure, if she had a boyfriend I'd know about it-" the wizard's words slowly cut off as he turned to look at Rose and saw her with an entirely too guilty look on her face. The whole table was quiet, all eyes on the younger couple who sat next to each other, as they always did. "What is she talking about, Rosie? Is she telling the truth?"

Rose kept her eyes glued to the table as she slowly nodded her head, shocking most everyone at the table. The girl felt like she was about to cry as a hard pain settled in her throat, feeling like she was displayed for the world to see. "What?!" The small girl flinched when Albus' loud voice shouted in anger, her tiny hands grabbing onto her dress under the table to keep from shaking. "Well who is it, then," Albus stared down at the person he considered his best friend, shocked she had hid something so big from him.

A few seats away, Teddy spoke up, telling her how it was alright, how she shouldn't be ashamed. Rose found the courage inside of her to look up, finding every pair of eyes glued to her face. She took a deep breath before speaking, "I'm dating Scorpius Malfoy." That was the moment the uproar started.

The entire large family began speaking all at once, each person reacting differently, but most were of appall and disgust. Rose felt her heart swell when Roxanne, along with Dominique and Lily, gave her a smile, showing her they were alright with it. The noise got louder and louder with every second, and soon the room was full of voices, only being stopped when Albus yelled over all. "This is a joke, right? Rosie, please tell me this is some sort of sick, twisted joke." Rose looked up to her standing cousin, and she slowly shook her head, a tear falling down her face as she watched him explode and flee from the room.

"Albus, wait," Rose shouted after him, only to hear the tell tale crack of disapparating. Tears now freely fell from the girl's face, and she openly sobbed as she stared at the spot her cousin had just disappeared to.

The upset which looked to her mean cousin, her cheeks wet as tears flowed down them. "Why," Rose asked in a hushed voice. "What have I ever done to you," the small girl asked desperately, and everyone's at the table felt their hearts break as the girl let out a sob when she quickly fled the room.

"Oh my, poor little dear," Molly said as she watched her granddaughter leave the room in a sobbing mess, Hermione rushing after her. Percy and Audrey turned to their grown daughter, and the witch frowned as she began getting reprimanded, not only by her parents but her entire family too.

Seconds later Rose and her mother arrived in their home, and Hermione followed her daughter as she ran up to her room. The small witch crawled into her bed, feeling thankful when her mother was by her side a second after, collecting her into an embrace. Rose openly sobbed into her mother's arms, until Hermione successfully managed to coo her to sleep.

The older witch stroked her sleeping daughter's hair as she dreamt away, unaware that miles away the entire Weasley family was listening to Ron and Hugo talked about how much they truly liked the Malfoy boy, convincing them that he was nothing like his family.

Rose was shocked the following morning when she found a stack of letters from her family, and she smiled as she read the supportive words and well wishes.

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A loud whistle blew, and the train lurched forward, causing a certain clumsy witch to trip forward. A long arm reached out and grabbed her, pulling Rose to her feet before she managed to fall onto the floor. "Thanks, Hugh," the Ravenclaw said, blushing as her brother made sure she was settled on her feet. "You know," she said, her blue eyes looking to the closed compartment door, "perhaps it's best I just find somewhere else to sit this time. Give him some time to vent and let his anger simmer away."

Hugo looked down to his short sister, "you're sure, Rosie? I don't you alone the whole time." The four family members had boarded the train five minutes ago, and Albus had refused to speak to Rose as he glared and shoved past her, causing Lily to yell at him.

Her slightly curly hair bounced around her as she nodded, sighing when she looked one last time to the place she had sat the past eleven years, "I'm sure, it's only for the best. I'll see if I can go find Elliot and Robert. But just do me a favor and keep an eye on Al, make sure he doesn't do anything irrational."

"You mean go and beat the living hell out of Malfoy," Hugo supplied, causing Rose to glare at him, though he knew that was what she meant. "No problem, Rosie-Rue." The girl thanked him one last time before she walked away, feeling completely strange and out of sorts. Rose wandered for some time, not knowing where to go, and fifteen minutes later she jumped when someone called her name from behind.

A huge grin appeared on Rose's face when she spotted Scorpius just a few feet away from her. She immediately and made her way to him, standing on her tippy toes so she could peck him on the lips. Scorpius chuckled when a couple of fourth-years gasped as they passed by, looks of amazement on their faces. The blonde man leaned his head down and whispered, "I'll give it ten minute before this entire train knows about that little kiss."

Rose giggled and agreed, though sadness immediately set into her as thoughts of Albus came to her mind. The wizard had no trouble spotting the upset look on Rose's pretty face, and he grabbed her hand as he opened up the closest compartment to them, and shut the door when she was in. Scorpius sat on the seat, pulling Rose down so she was posed on his lap, her hands straightaway going to rest on his chest. "What's wrong," his voice was laced with concern, and his hand came up to stroke down the side of her soft face.

Her sweet breath blew across his face when she sighed, moving her fingers to play with the collar of his shirt. "My entire family found out about us last night," Rose revealed, surprising Scorpius. She shook her head when he asked her if it had gone badly. "Well, at first everyone was astounded and maybe a little upset, but they all gave me their blessings and told me that they trust my opinion. Aside from Albus… he completely freaked out. I don't know what hurt him more; the fact that I didn't tell him I was dating someone, or that fact that the someone is you."

She moved on to explain how her evil cousin was the one to throw her under the bus, and how Albus had moved onto utterly ignoring her. "I'm sorry, doll. If you want I could try talking to him-"

Scorpius bit back a laugh when Rose's eyes doubled in size. "No, no! I'm sure that would only upset him further. Right now I think giving him space is the best thing I can do, I know he'll come around eventually." The wizard nodded, releasing his hold on her as Rose stood up.

Grey eyes watched her as she moved to stand in front of the window, seeing the land whip past them in a blur. After a moment Scorpius too stood, moving so his chest pressed against her back as one of his strong arms went to wrap around her waist. His other hand moved up and brushed her long hair from her shoulder, and Rose gasped loudly when she felt his hot lips against her neck. "Mm," her lips vibrated as her tongue came out and wet them, her hands moving up to grasp at his arm around her middle.

Scorpius smirked as Rose's head lolled to the side, exposing more skin for him to kiss. A cry escaped Rose when he gently bit down and sucked near her pulse, his tongue coming out to calm the skin that would soon be bruised. Heat filled Rose and she felt as if her skin was on fire, with Scorpius' touch as the only thing that could take the burn away. The pit of her stomach dropped when he licked from the bottom of her neck to the top, and Rose squeezed her thighs together when she felt a wetness seep onto her knickers.

Turning in his arms, the aroused witch attacked Scorpius this time, her hands moving behind his neck to pull his lips down to her. They kissed deeply and passionately, one of his hands tangled in her hair, as the other stroked from the top of her shoulder to the bottom of her pert bum. Rose groaned when she felt herself only grow more heated, as the spot between her thighs began to pulse with the need to be soothed.

The short girl pressed herself flush against Scorpius, slightly pressing her breasts against his chest in the hope of release. Rose pushed one of her hands between their bodies, her fingers moving to grab one of Scorpius' belt loops and pull him forward. Though, because they had such a large height difference, the front of his pants pressed against her stomach and not where she wanted it to.

Scorpius wizard gasped as her lips left his, and she kissed her way down his face and neck, stopping to kiss and suck when she got to just above his collar bone. A groan escaped Scorpius when he felt her pay certain attention to his throat, and at the same moment a cry of frustration left Rose. When the witch pressed her legs together and started rubbing them, Scorpius knew she needed friction, and though he desperately wanted to give it to her, he also didn't want to scare her.

Their lips met again, and they kissed each other roughly and fervently. Rose pulled back as frustration filled her, and she mumbled against Scorpius' lips, "more." Scorpius moved so his forehead rested against hers, as their breaths blew in each other's face. "Scorpius, I need more," Rose whined.

Scorpius nodded, feeling the same way she did. "I know, baby," Rose felt more heat pool between her legs when she heard him whisper the pet name. "I know what you need, and I'll give it to you soon, I promise. Just not here, not now." The witch nodded against him, knowing their location would be a completely foolish place to do anything.

The wizard moved back to his seat, pulling Rose so she sat next to him with her legs splayed across his lap, her head on his shoulder. The two of them spoke quietly to each other the rest of the journey, and soon enough they arrived at the glowing castle.

Just when they were about to leave their compartment Rose looked to the ground shyly, grabbing Scorpius' hand. "Do you think you could stay with me during dinner? I'm sure everyone has heard a rumor by now, and I don't want to face all the questions alone." The blonde man took a step towards his witch, nodding as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Of course, but don't worry, little one. Everything will be fine, people will be surprised but they'll get over themselves. And if they don't, I'll be right by your side to curse their sorry arse. Alright?" Rose smiled at Scorpius, wondering how he constantly knew the perfect thing to say. The small girl clutched one of his large pale hands in both of her tiny ones, biting into her lip as they left.

Not a single person was able to hold back from starting when they saw a Weasley and Malfoy walking side by side, their hands clasped together. Rose had a very difficult time ignoring all of the strange looks they received, feeling like a bug under a telescope when people began whispering as they passed by. But all of her insecurities melted away when Scorpius squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile.

They couple grabbed an empty carriage to the castle, and they weren't surprised when no one dared get into it with them. The witch sighed, happy to be temporarily away from everyone as she leaned in close to her boyfriend. Scorpius leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "you're doing phenomenally."

When the carriage arrived at the castle Scorpius got out first, helping Rose out and wrapping his arm around her slim waist as they made their way down the path to the castle. Rose felt her heart skip a beat when a flurry past her, looking up to see Albus rushing forward with a scowl on his face. "It'll be alright," Scorpius mumbled to her, hating to see the look of despair on her pretty face.

"Oi!" someone shouted loudly when the couple was almost to the front steps of the castle. Turning back they spotted Luciano and Zoee with large smirks on their faces, as they rushed up to meet them. "Finally letting everyone know about you two," asked Zoee as she parted from Luciano to stand by Rose's side. The tall girl smiled when the Ravenclaw nodded, "good for you, you both deserve it."

Rose smiled at the friendly girl, taken aback when she linked their arms together and winked at her. Zoee quickly noticed all the staring, and she glared at all the people giving dirty looks as she reassured Rose, "don't worry about everyone. They'll find something more interesting to fawn over in a couple of days, they are all just bored little twits."

The four of them made their way into the castle, entering the Great Hall for the traditional feast, Zoee and Luciano smiling at Rose as they left. The couple managed to stun even the professors as they walked in, though they were a bit more tactful about the staring. Scorpius hugged his witch to him as they walked through the hall, all eyes on them as heavy whispers followed. Rose smiled at Scorpius when he walked with her to the Ravenclaw table, instead of going to his own, sitting himself on the bench next to her.

Robert and Elliot were slightly surprised when the Slytherin sat himself next to their mate, though they were friendly as Rose introduce them to Scorpius. The blonde wizard chatted merrily with the two Ravenclaws, and the three of them found out they got along rather well, much to Rose's approval. Dinner passed painfully slow for the little witch, and Scorpius rubbed his hand against hers every time she looked glum. Once through the meal Rose caught eyes with her brother, and smiled back at Hugo when he gave her a shy grin and a thumbs up.

And though Rose felt incredibly uncomfortable with all the attention she had, she couldn't help but smile as she thought of how she could now be free with Scorpius.


	38. Chapter 38

Hi guys, sorry this chapter is up slightly late, and also I just wanted to pop in and say that I loved your guesses as for what would happen… I suppose you will just have to wait and find out. I know before I said I would no longer be giving a warning when a chapter has adult content, but I wanted to give a heads up about this one, and all the future ones. _If you do not want to read Rated M content, please do not read on_. Anyways, enjoy!

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"There," the girl said with a look of triumph, watching as the crushed moonseed dissolved and cause the potion to turn a smoky purple color. A pair of cryptic silver eyes looked to his partner, smirking as he watched the clever witch work diligently. "We're coming along perfectly," Rose said enthusiastically, looking to Scorpius with wide eyes and showcasing her dimple with her smile.

The platinum haired man chuckled deeply, shaking his head at the little witch. "You're such a nerd, you know that right," Scorpius said fondly, causing Rose to pout in the most adorable manner. A pale hand came up and pulled at her bottom lip, "but I love it." The witch let out a giggle, but suddenly frowned when someone cleared their throat loudly.

Looking in front of them, they spotted Ash Macmillan, giving the couple a dirty look. Scorpius glared back at the boy, a fierce and cruel expression on his face, which caused Ash to blush and look away. "Bloody fucking Hufflepuffs," Scorpius swore at the man's back, feeling thoroughly ticked off. Though he sent his witch an apologetic look when she heard his language.

Just as Rose finished writing down the progress of the potion for that day, the bell rang out loudly. The class immediately began shuffling around and filing out of the class. "Will you come back to my dorm with me," Rose looked to Scorpius and asked, hoping he would agree. The tall man nodded, grabbing her bag and slinging it over his shoulder before she could herself.

The couple left the seconds later with their hands clasped together, Rose stopping to say goodbye to Professor Bobbin just before they exited. The older woman smiled and waved to her best student, still shocked by the recent uncovering of the couple. Though it had been two days since they had revealed their relationship to everyone, the pair still received stares and strange glances as they made their way through the corridors.

And even as the crowds of students stared, Rose smiled as she was pleased to finally be able to walk down the halls holding Scorpius' hand. The duo reached Rose's dorm in no time, and the walked in after a short chat with the competitive men in the front portrait, whom apparently had made a bet on how long it would be until Rose and Scorpius got together.

The Slytherin was shocked when his witch suddenly let out a loud screech when they entered her common room. "What's wrong," Scorpius asked in an alarmed voice, his eyes alert as he looked to Rose. The auburn haired girl let out another shout as she ran to the opposite side of the room, her finger shaking as she pointed to a spot on the ground. Rose was standing on top of the coffee table by the time Dawson came running down from his room, wide eyed with his wand drawn.

The dark haired man looked to the girl standing on the piece of furniture, asking her what was wrong. "Spider," Rose yelled, pointing to the spot on the floor where she first saw it. Dawson went over to where Scorpius stood, and the two men looked down to find a large wolf spider crawling about. "Get rid of it," the terrified girl said as her voice shook with fear, covering her eyes with her hands as she stood on her tip toes.

Rose peeked from between her fingers when she heard Scorpius laugh, looking to see him with a highly amused grin on his face. However the wizard stopped when she told him to stop laughing, as he realized just how scared she was. Yet the girl protested loudly when Scorpius moved to stomp on the insect with his foot, "no! Don't kill him, just get rid of it."

This time Dawson couldn't help but also laugh, not believing that the girl was so afraid of such a harmless thing, and yet wanted to make sure it stayed untouched. Scorpius sighed as he pulled out his wand, opening the window before he levitated the spider outside. Both of the men looked to Rose when the window was closed again, seeing her with her hands clutched over her eyes.

Scorpius walked over to the girl, placing his hands on her waist as he pulled her off the table and into his arms. "Rosie, it's gone," the blonde man said to her, peeling her hands from her face. Rose looked around the room quickly, confirming the man's words, as she let out a great sigh.

"Bloody hell, I thought you were being murdered or something," Dawson said, his wand still in his fist. The small girl apologized for her actions, blushing deeply as she buried her face into her boyfriend's chest. Scorpius didn't miss the way his cousin's eyes momentarily darkened as he watched Rose, his fist clenching tightly.

Scorpius released Rose, moving to grab her bag off the floor where he had dropped it when she screamed. "Come on, doll," the blonde man said, almost cringing when Dawson quickly interrupted and asked to speak to him. The small witch looked between the two men with curious eyes, nodding when Scorpius suggested she go up.

Dawson slowly shuffled closer to his cousin until they stood a foot away from each other. Scorpius crossed his arms over his chest as he raised an eyebrow just as he heard Rose's door close. "Does grandfather know about this," the wizard asked after a minute, nodding his head towards Rose's room.

"No," Scorpius said in a dangerously low voice. "I'm sure he'll find out soon enough. Though I don't know how this concerns him in the least; it's my decision, and he has no say in any of this." Dawson opened his mouth to protest, but Scorpius cut him off. "Enough, Dawson. I don't give a shit what anyone has to say, there is no way in hell I am giving her up now that I have her."

Dark eyes stared at Scorpius, and Dawson was shocked when he saw nothing but honesty written on his face. "You really like her then, huh," he asked, feeling his chest tighten as he asked the question. Scorpius nodded slowly, giving his cousin one last look before he turned on his heel and left.

Rose was sat in the middle of her large bed when Scorpius walked in, a inquisitive look on her cute face. "Is everything alright," she asked when the handsome man entered her room. Scorpius nodded as he walked to her, quickly making up an innocent lie to tell the worrisome girl. The man smirked when Rose crawled forward, standing on her knees at the end of the bed where Scorpius stood. Her slim arms came up and wrapped around his neck, "can I have my surprise now?"

A squeal of surprise escaped Rose when Scorpius' hands came down and grabbed her bottom as he pulled away from the bed, forcing her to wrap her skinny legs around his middle. His muscular body held her small, soft one close to him, having no trouble lifting the light weight. "Please, I've been so patient waiting for it," Rose pleaded when Scorpius pretended to consider.

"Oh, alright," the wizard said, setting her back on her feet, "but you have to close your eyes." Rose smiled as she covered her eyes, listening to the sound of rustling clothes. A minute later the witch felt the warmth of a body near her, just as Scorpius spoke up, "okay, open." Rose blushed when she found Scorpius standing in front of her with a naked torso.

The witch was momentarily confused, until a pale hand went up and pointed to a new ink mark on his chest. Just above his heart laid was a detailed tattoo of a beautiful rose, with cursive words under it. Rose gasped when she spotted it, reaching forward to trace over the black ink. "For me," she asked in a whispered tone, and Scorpius laughed as he confirmed. " _My beautiful rose_ ," her sweet voice read the French words, feeling her heart ache with joy. "Oh, Scorpius," the girl murmured as she stood on her toes and kissed the mark, feeling his heartbeat.

"You like it," Scorpius asked, and smiled when Rose nodded enthusiastically as she told him she loved it. "I'm glad, I thought it was only fair to represent such an important person in my life." Rose knew she had never felt as happy as she did then, as the thanked the gods above for having been united with Scorpius. Reaching down, he picked up his discarded shirt, smirking when Rose insisted that he didn't button it up.

A half an hour later the pair was laid on her bed, Rose sat in between Scorpius legs with him sat against the pillows. The wizard had been reading one of Rose's favorite books, _'Jane Eyre'_ by Charlotte Brontë, but she had stopped listening pages ago as she found it was impossible to concentrate. "Scorpius," she interrupted abruptly, causing the man to halt his reading.

Scorpius knew she had stopped paying attention quite some time ago, when the arm he had wrapped around her felt her heart speed up. "I dreamt of you last night," Rose said quietly, and Scorpius watched her cheeks blush from over her shoulder.

"Oh really," the wizard asked and she nodded, he became further intrigued when he felt her breathing quicken. "What was the dream about," Scorpius asked in a low voice, his lips next to her ear. Rose didn't say anything for a full minute, though the wizard had a few good guesses. "It's alright, you can tell me," he comforted her, seeing how clearly nervous she was.

It took a second, but her quiet voice finally spoke up. "I dreamt of you and me, and we were k-kissing and touching and doing other things," Rose stuttered as she spoke, her face now crimson. Scorpius smirked when he heard her confession, and he pulled the arm he had around her waist tighter. His other hand dropped the book on her bedside table, moving to rest on the bottom of one of her soft, tanned thighs.

"Did you like the dream," Scorpius asked on his low voice, causing his witch to scoot farther back into him as she bit her lip and nodded. "And what about after? What did you do when you woke," Rose felt her stomach tighten, and her whole body grew hot. The witch didn't speak, as she had completely forgotten how to use her voice. "Did you touch yourself, Rose?" The brunette gasped quietly when the words left his mouth, not believing he had asked her such a thing.

Scorpius' pale hand on her leg moved up an inch then back down, his cool touch felt soothing as they stroked her skin. "Have you ever touched yourself," his words caressed the side of her ear, causing her entire body to shiver.

Auburn hair slipped off her shoulder as she violently shook her head, murmuring, "no, of course not. I-I don't even know how." Though as she spoke, thoughts of the night months ago in her tub flooded into her head. Scorpius kept stroking the creamy skin of her thigh, careful not to go more than an inch higher each time, before he moved back down towards her knee. Rose felt light headed, and filled with a smoky passion. His other hand rested just under her breast, and she gasped when she felt a wetness dampen her knickers when his fingers ever so lightly stroked just under her bra.

"I can help you, Rose. If you want I could show you how to please yourself," Scorpius kept his voice low, trying to comfort her. He felt her heart beat erratically, as she thought over his proposal. "Do you trust me," he asked, and she nodded without hesitation.

A second later Scorpius felt his heart soar when Rose shyly spoke up, "can you show me, Scorpius?" The wizard leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck, his hand now up to where her skirt laid on her thigh.

"Of course. I promise it'll feel amazing," Scorpius swore to her, feeling his heart speed up from the pure thought of what they were doing. "Just relax, doll, I've got you." Rose nodded letting out a shaky breath as she told him she trusted him. Scorpius' left hand, his wand hand, kept stroking up her thigh slowly until he pushed under her skirt, making Rose suck in a breath and close her eyes.

Scorpius could feel the heat coming from between her legs from inches away, and he felt himself grow hard as he imagined what it would be like to thrust right into her. His long fingers slowly stroked the edges of her knickers, going steadily as not to scare her, making sure she knew she could stop him at any moment. Rose gasped loudly when she finally felt his fingers press against the front of her knickers, and Scorpius bit his lip when he felt how soaked she was.

Her small hand suddenly reached out and landed on his lower thigh, squeezing it lightly. Never before had anyone ever touched her in such an arousing way, not even herself. Scorpius' touch felt almost painfully good, as he stroked up her knickers, parting her folds. The witch let out a cry when his fingers ever softly passed over her clit, causing her to throw her head back and arch upward.

Every noise that left her sounded heavenly to Scorpius, and he knew he would surely die from listening to her. "Tell me what you feel," his husky voice said into her ear. Rose felt her chest tighten as he continued to stroke up and down her most sacred place.

"I feel… " she said, though her words faded away from her. Rose couldn't believe what they were doing, yet the thought of pausing him seemed inconceivable. Scorpius smirked and hummed into her ear, forcing to think. "Your hand feels so good it almost hurts. But I never want you to stop," she said desperately, "please don't stop, Scorpius."

The wizard kissed her neck, biting down and smirking when he heard her gasp. "I'll never stop, baby," Scorpius promised, as his lips continued to attack her smooth neck, the hairs of his beard tickling her soft skin. Rose forgot about everything in the world, everything but Scorpius' hand and his magic touch. Waves of pleasure washed through Rose, and every time one hit her, she surely thought she would pass out from the electricity rushing through her. "You look so goddamn gorgeous," Scorpius husky voice admitted, going straight to her core, spreading the fire.

"Merlin," Rose swore when she felt Scorpius' finger press into her clit and circle around, pushing her towards something unknown. Her entire body felt as if it was pulsing in need, and she felt as if it was almost too much to handle. Scorpius used his right hand to grab hers, and he pulled her hand up to press against her breasts teaching her how to stroke and rub herself. The witch moaned loudly from all the new feelings, and she squeezed Scorpius' leg tightly when she felt him nibble on her collarbone.

Her entire body vibrated in Scorpius' arms as she felt something strange build up inside of her. The wizard felt himself pulse in his pants, his cock aching for attention, though he ignored it as he watched his little witch unravel for him. "That's it," he said encouragingly when he watched her close her eyes tightly as her legs shook. Scorpius knew she was close to an orgasm, though she didn't know it, "let go for me, Rosie." It only took a few more strokes of his hand before it happened.

Rose was breathing hard and fast when she felt complete and utter pleasure take over her entire body. She felt _everything._ Her head was thrown back on Scorpius' shoulder, as she rubbed her breasts harder and let out a whine, "don't stop, dear god!" Scorpius stroked his fingers in circles on her clit, watching her over her shoulder as she unfolded for him. He felt as her fingers dug deeply into his thigh, though he ignored the momentary pain it brought to him. Her eyes were screwed shut and her lips were parted as she felt everything crash around her. " _Oh, Scorpius!_ " Rose's voice wavered as she yelled his name out loud. Her legs clamped tightly together as she grew uncontrollably wet and slick, trapping Scorpius' hand, though he didn't mind.

Heavy breaths left the witch as she turned her head into Scorpius' neck and willed her body to calm down. Rose gasped when Scorpius stroked her center one last time before pulling his hand away from her soaked knickers. She had no idea what had just happened, but she wished to replay it every second of her life. The wizard bent down and pressed a kiss to her temple, feeling her come back down to Earth in his arms. His erection ached in his pants, and was sure he would have to help himself later with the memory of Rose burning in his mind. Scorpius knew that what had just happened was the most enticing and arousing thing he had ever done with a witch, and she was clearly the most gorgeous creature that had ever been. "Merlin, that was…" Rose voice faded off, as she was lost for words.

"That was beautiful," Scorpius finished, kissing several different spots on her face until she let out a giggle. And she indeed look beautiful to him, with rosy cheeks, wet pink lips, and glossed over eyes. His hand moved from her breast to her waist where it clasped with hers, his thumb stroking her. "Thank you so much for that, Rose," the man said, feeling incredibly thankful Rose had allowed him to share such an amazing and personal thing with him.

Turning in his arms, the witch faced him, and hooked her hands around his neck so she could pull him into a kiss. The pair kissed for a long time, and Scorpius knew he was doing nothing to help his current situation. When the two finally pulled away Rose smiled and looked into Scorpius' eyes as a hand came up to stroke a piece of hair out of his face. The witch then laid back down, leaning her head on his chest as he brushed his fingers through her silky hair.

Scorpius watched as Rose quickly fell into a light slumber, a smile on her full lips. And in that moment, it hit him; he was utterly taken and in love with Rose. The thought of love had scared Scorpius for several years, but as he looked down at his stunning witch he knew he couldn't deny he was in love with her, and he felt nothing but delight at the thought.


	39. Chapter 39

I am glad you all liked last chapter, here is to one filled with drama and discoveries… please don't hate me too much and enjoy.

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Bright blue eyes were glued to the rear of a head, watching as a hand came up and racked through thick black hair. Rose had been staring at Albus' back for nearly an hour, her gaze only leaving him once to look at the professor. As if feeling her eyes on him, the wizard turned around and met eyes with the witch. A small smile appeared on her lips but Albus simply rolled his eyes and turned back around, hurting the little witch more than he imagined.

Just as she let a sigh out, Frank, who was sat next to Albus, turned and smiled at Rose. The girl gave him a tiny grin in return, slouching in her chair as her eyes looked down to the parchment she had already filled. The lesson ended shortly after, and Rose watched as Albus sped out of the Astronomy class, not bothering to give her a second glance.

Rose slowly packed up her bag, not in the mood to go anywhere or do anything. The small girl let out a surprised yell when she suddenly looked up and saw a tall body next to her. "Sorry," Frank Longbottom II said sincerely when he noticed he had frightened the witch, an innocent smile on his face. "Didn't mean to scare you there, Rosie."

With a hand covering her beating heart, Rose nodded, "oh, it's alright. You just snuck up on me, is all."

The Gryffindor nodded, the lightest blush on his cheeks as he moved and grabbed Rose's books for her. "Care for an escort to dinner," the man asked. Rose was painfully oblivious to the look of desire and hope in the poor boy's eyes, as she nodded and smiled at him, happy to not be alone. The two friends walked at a slow pace, not in a hurry to get to anywhere. "So, Scorpius Malfoy, huh," Frank said after a short minute of comfortable silence.

A blushed darkened Rose's cheeks as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly, not sure what the boy's opinion on her boyfriend was. She knew that most of the Gryffindors weren't very fond of him, but Frank didn't tend to dislike people unless he had a good reason.

"How long have you two been together," the blonde haired wizard asked, shifting Rose's books over to his other arm.

The witch paused, thinking, "almost five months." The couple was about halfway to the hall by now, as the smell of dinner slowly leaked into the corridors.

A surprised look appeared on the boy's face, causing Rose to smile fondly at the silly expression. "Damn," Frank swore quietly, after letting out a long and low whistle. "You guys really did keep quiet for a while then." The short girl nodded, revealing to the boy how hard it was at times. "Well, I'm happy for you, Rosie," he said, though a look of jealousy flashed across his face. "If you say this guy isn't the monstrous prick everyone else says he is, I'll believe you."

Rose laughed at the insult, nudging Frank with her elbow. "I promise you he is far from a monstrous prick, as you so kindly put it. People just like to judge him without even getting to know him." A sad look came over the girl's face, and Frank instantly knew she was talking about his best mate.

This time it was his turn to nudge her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders as he pulled her close. "I'm sorry about him, Rosie. But you know how Albus is, thick headed and bull hearted until he realizes things for himself. Just give him time," Rose nodded, though a sadness lingered in her eyes. "If you'd like, I could talk to him for you. I honestly don't think it'll do much, but it's worth a short, right?"

Auburn hair bounced around her as she nodded, "that would be lovely, Frank, thank you." By then the couple had reached the Great Hall, as the sound of voices suddenly became thick and loud. Just when they walked through the heavy doors, a voice yelled loudly from a few feet over

"Oi, Frank!" Two heads turned to see Albus waving at Frank, motioning him over to the empty spot between himself and Nathaniel Wood. The tall man shocked Rose by shaking his head at his friend, telling Albus he was going to sit with her. The black haired wizard was appalled, to say the very least, and after a second an angry look came to his face. "Suit yourself, mate. But just be careful; she might be lying to you too."

Tears burned in Rose's eyes as she looked to her cousin, not believing such foul and mean things were coming from his mouth. "Don't listen to him, Rosie, he's just venting," Frank mumbled encouraging words in the girl's ear, as he put a hand on her back and led her over to the spot she usually sat at her table.

Elliot and Robert were already sat at the table with looks of sympathy on their faces, as they had witnessed the entire scene. "You don't have to do this," Rose said quietly when Frank placed his stuff down and sat across from her. But the kind boy simply smiled at back, telling her it was no big deal. Frank chatted merrily with Elliot and Robert, as Rose swirled her fork through her food, not eating any.

Ten minutes later Rose felt a warm body beside hers, and she looked up to see Scorpius sitting himself on the seat next to her. The blonde man dropped a kiss to Rose's cheek, frowning when he quickly noticed the unhappy look on her face. Grey eyes flashed over to Frank, an accusing look in them, "what's wrong, doll?" The witch recalled the words previously exchanged with her cousin, causing Scorpius to quickly look over to Albus.

A large pale hand came to rest on the table, and Rose quickly grabbed Scorpius' beicip to prevent him from standing. "No, Scorpius, honestly I'm fine. If you speak to him you'll only make matters worse." Frank, Elliot, and Robert all watched as Rose pulled the tall Slytherin back down into his seat, as she held his hand in hers.

Scorpius didn't say anything for a long moment, taking deep breaths as he calmed his anger. "You need to eat something," the man said a minute later, his eyes inspecting Rose's messy, uneaten plate. And when she opened her mouth to tell him she had, he simply looked at her, causing her to blush and allow him to make a new plate for her.

The three boys, whom had all known Rose for years, were slightly shocked when the witch actually listened and began eating the food she was given. When a few bites were gone, Scorpius seemed satisfied, because he then made himself a plate and began eating. Scorpius talked with the other men as dinner continued on, one of his pale hands resting on Rose's knee under the table, stroking her soothingly.

Seven days had passed since Rose and Scorpius revealed their relationship, and though most students were now use to the pair, a good few still stared and oogled. That night Scorpius and Rose withdrew to her room, helping each other with their homework until they finished, in which they retired to the sofa.

The couple held each other as they talked about everything under the moon, simply thrilled to be together.

* * *

Closing her eyes, Rose smiled contenty and inhaled deeply, feeling more at home than she had in days. The witch enjoyed the calm quietness, appreciating the silent studiers as she looked back down to the work she had spread all around her. The sound of her quill scratching on parchment was the only noise she heard for several peaceful minutes, until suddenly a dark shadow loomed over her work, causing her to look up. "Oh, hi," Rose said when she spotted Melody Caldwell standing across the table from her.

The girl sent her an obviously fake smile, not surprising Rose in the least. "Hello," the witch said in a haughty tone. "I was wondering if you had the Slytherin copy of the prefects schedule for this next month. I asked Pucey but he said you would have it." Rose nodded, quickly reaching into her extremely organized back and pulling out an extra piece of neat parchment.

"Here you are-oh!" Rose's words were cut off when the girl grabbed her wrist as she moved her hand out to give her the paper. Her blue eyes were large as she watched Melody inspect the piece of jewelry on the wrist she had roughly snatched.

The Slytherin girl's eyes were huge as she looked up, "what's this? How on Earth did you get _this_?" Rose pulled her hand back, dropping the paper on the table as she used her other hand to rub at her sore wrist.

"Scorpius gave it to me," the auburn haired witch said, her eyes locked to the strange girl in front of her. Melody's brown eyes immediately darkened when she heard the name, and she did nothing to hide her obvious annoyance and detestation.

Leaning forward, the pale girl placed both her hands on the table. "Oh, that's right. You're… _dating_ him." Rose frowned when the girl let out a giggle, bring up a hand to cover her mouth, a smirk on her lips. "Well, enjoy that while it lasts."

Panic formed in Rose's gut, "what are you talking about?" Melody laughed full on then, not bothering to not seem rude. Her short brown hair fell into her face as her brown eyes pierced into the innocent girl across from her.

"Oh my, he hasn't told you," Melody asked in a tantalizing voice. Rose felt her throat tighten as her hands gripped the edge of the table, worry and fear settling in. "I'm betrothed to Scorpius." The words seeped from the girl's thin lips, and Rose felt as if she couldn't breath. "We are getting married as soon as we graduate this spring."

Her entire world as she knew it crashed all around her and Rose could do nothing to stop it. She shook her head slowly back and forth, not believing what she had heard. "Sorry I had to be the messenger of bad news," Melody said, though there wasn't a trace of sympathy in her voice. "Like I side, enjoy him while you have him." The Ravenclaw sat there, simply stunned. Melody Caldwell gave her a cruel smile as she turned and left, forgetting the prefects list she had wanted in the first place.

Rose felt hundreds of different emotions rushed through her; panic, fear, betrayal, sorrow. But mostly she felt empty, filled with nothing but pain. It felt like she had been stabbed in the chest several time over and over, left to bleed out until she died.

Suddenly, everything hit her like a ton of brick, and she felt as if the walls around her were slowly closing in. Rose stood fast, knocking her chair over as she shoved all of her things into her bag, not looking back to see if she missed anything as she ran from the library. The little witch ran as fast as her legs would allow her to go, and a sob escaped her when she tripped onto the floor. She quickly picked herself up, her legs shaking as tears streamed down her face.

A terrible sting pulsed through her heart when Rose stumbled into a corridor and spotted Scorpius walking with Luciano and Quinn a few feet away. The blonde wizard quickly panicked when he saw his tear filled witch, running towards him. Scorpius rushed in her direction, his hands moving to grab her arms. "Rose, what's wrong-" his words were cut off when Rose forcefully pulled herself from his grasp, looking at him like he had murdered a man.

"Get off of me," Rose screamed at him as she roughly shoved him away from her and swiftly ran in the other direction. Luciano and Quinn looked to the girl with matching looks of shock, turning to see Scorpius equally as confused. By the time the man had regained his composure, his witch was far gone.

Rose ran fast as she could, letting out a sob when she spotted whom she had been searching for. Albus Potter, along with Frank and Nathaniel, stood a few paces away from the Gryffindor tower portrait, looking like they had just exited. "Al," Rose shouted, her voice weak and quivering as she sped forward towards the trio.

"Rosie," Albus said in a surprised tone when he saw the girl standing in front of him with tears streaming down her pretty face. "Merlin, what happened," he said, stepping forward just in time to catch her before she collapsed onto the floor. Rose threw her arms around his neck, breathing in his familiar scent.

"I'm sorry, Al! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't mean to hurt you-" her frantic words were cut off when Albus placed a finger over her trembling lips.

His bright green eyes were large, all anger and resentment he felt moments ago disappearing when he looked down and saw her. "Rosie, it's fine," the man said, as Frank and Nate looked to the girl with concerned glances. "What bloody happened?" Rose sobbed as she thought back on the events of the last ten minutes, wishing more than anything that it could all end.

"He lied to me," Rose sobbed out as she buried her head in his neck, her hands clutching the front of his shirt so tightly Albus thought it might rip. "Scorpius lied! He said he wanted to spend forever with me but he can't, and he knew! H-he…" her hiccupped words faded off into sobs and Albus' heart broke as he listened to her cry. The second he looked down into her tear filled eyes, he didn't know how he could have been so cruel and mean to such a sweet person.

The wizard collected Rose into his arm and easily picked her up, thanking Nate when he stepped forward to provide the password and open the portrait for him. Albus walked through the crowded room, gaining the attention of almost every student. When Hugo saw his distressed sister being carried by his cousin he quickly stood, panic written on his freckled face. The boy only calmed down when Frank and Nathaniel stopped to explain what they knew, as the three of them watched Albus disappear up the stairs.

Rose wept into Albus' neck as she felt him moving, not caring in the least bit where he was taking her. The wizard pushed the door to his dorm open, quickly making his way over to his bed, as he sat against his pillows and cradled her to his chest. Rose clung to the front of Albus' shirt, grabbing onto him like he was the only thing holding her down to Earth. Her breaths were ragged and she coughed when she tried to speak, feeling hopeless.

Albus rocked the broken girl back and forth, rubbing her back with his hand as he gently shushed her. Whenever she tried telling him what was wrong, she choked on her tears, and he told her she could tell him later and not to worry about it. His homely scent calmed Rose, but every time she thought about Scorpius and that foul girl, she began to panic all over again.

Just the sheer thought of Scorpius marrying anyone but her made Rose ill, and she shook thinking about how her life was over. He was her future, he was her safe haven, he was everything she needed in life and more. Rose felt her heart throb and ache as she thought of Scorpius, and how all of her love for him had gone to waste. And as she laid there in Albus' arms, Rose knew she would never love again.

* * *

A stream of sunlight shone brightly through a crack in the thick red drapes, allowing a single ray of bright light into the darkness of the bed. Rose inhaled deeply, squeezing her sore eyes shut before opening them slowly, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The witch found a strong pair of arms around her, though she instantly knew they didn't belong to the person she so desperately wanted to be holding her. Looking up, Rose found Albus looking down at her, a kind smile on his lips. The wizard reached and pushed hair out of her tired face, not having gotten a wink of sleep the entire night, as he was too worried for his beloved cousin.

"Feel any better," his low voice asked, and Rose frowned as all the memories of the previous night came flooding back to her. During the night, the witch awoke to a voice speaking to Albus, though he didn't notice her wake. Someone told the wizard of how Scorpius had caught word of her being in the Gryffindor tower, and how he stayed outside the portrait the entire night, asking for her.

Two alligator tears slowly rolled down her face, causing her look as heartbroken as she felt. Rose shook her head as she leaned back down against Albus' chest, never wishing to leave the comfort of his warm bed. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Rose took a deep breath, and a moment later her sweet voice spoke quietly. "Last night, I found out Scorpius is betrothed to Melody Caldwell, and he is to marry he as soon as we graduate." Albus' eyes darkened and fury flashed across his face as he heard what she said. "I love him so much, Al. He told me he would never let me go, but this whole time he knew he couldn't be with me and yet he played me on. God, I feel so stupid."

"Don't!" Albus said clearly. "How could you have known any of this? He is fucking evil for stringing you along this far." His heated words faded off as Rose started to cry again, her tears wetting the shirt that had been stained from the night previous. "Sh, Rosie, it'll be alright. You don't need him-"

"But that's the thing," Rose cried out loudly, thankful Albus had put a silencing charm up to block her sobbing from his roommates. "I do need him. I truly need him in my life, because I love him more than I have ever loved anything else, and I don't know what I'm going to do without him. I just _hurt so much_."

The witch's crying slowly stopped, and soon she had fallen back asleep on Albus' chest, her cheeks heated to a pink. The dark haired man stared down at his cousin, the person he considered his best mate, and wondered how he could have ever doubted her. It was obvious Rose had totally fallen for Scorpius Malfoy, and Albus would be there to help pick up the pieces of her heart he had scattered everywhere.


	40. Chapter 40

I am so pleased you all seem to be very eager for this chapter, and hopefully you aren't too upset with me for the last. Anyways, read on and see what happens… and please leave me _any_ ideas on this chapter.

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Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was baffled, utterly perplexed and completely disconcerted. Something he rarely experienced, and something he highly disliked to feel. The wizard was concerned when he met his hysteric girlfriend in a corridor, but he became even more uneasy as she shoved him away and ran from him. And now, two days later, he was thoroughly troubled and bemused.

For the past seventy-two hours, Scorpius had tried to find his witch and talk to her, to find out what was wrong. But every time he got within ten feet of her, she hurried away, with Albus and several other Gryffindors sending him dirty looks. The wizard hadn't a clue what he did, it seemed she all at once decided to cut him off and never speak to him again. Though he knew it was something more; he had seen the sadness and pure heart ache in her eyes. Not to mention, he watched as she sulked around, with her beautiful smile stole from her face. Scorpius didn't know what was wrong, but he was going to find out.

* * *

His long legs allowed him to take large strides, with a permanent frown marked on his pale pink lips. "Oi, Scorpius, mate! Must you bloody jog down the corridors?" Scorpius rolled his eyes at the sarcastic voice, ignoring Quinn's plea for him to slow his speed. The brunette man reached his side seconds later, huffing and puffing breaths out. The pair entered the Great Hall, and they moved to sit at the place they had for years.

Two plates were instantly filled by the hungry boys, though Scorpius didn't touch his food as Quinn began digging into his. After a few bite, the wizard noticed his friend wasn't moving, and when he looked up he saw Scorpius' eyes trained to a spot across the hall. Quinn wasn't surprised in the least when he looked over and saw that his target was a certain little witch. "Have you figured out what happened," the man asked, grabbing the blonde's attention.

Scorpius sighed, "if I had figured out what's wrong, she would be my side right now. So what do you think, Nott?" His voice had a cold edge to it, a tone that would make most people flinch, but Quinn Nott wasn't most people. Since the age of one, when their parents had forced them together, they had been the best of friends, and Quinn couldn't be intimidated in the least by Scorpius.

The brown haired man reached forward and pushed his friend's plate closer to him, urging him to eat. "Just asking, no need to be so hostile." Just then Luciano strolled in with Zoee at his side, though she left to go sit with her friends as he walked over and sat himself down beside the blonde. With one quick look, the wizard knew Scorpius was still frantic over Rose.

Both Luciano and Quinn tried their best to distract Scorpius through lunch, talking to him about various subjects and nonsense. Though his grey eyes stayed watching the sad witch all throughout the meal. Scorpius felt his heart hurt as he watched Rose with a frown on her face, so clearly unhappy and sorrow filled.

Two hours later, the three boys were sat in their DADA class, along with the many other seventh-years in the subject. It was three minutes until the bell rang, and Professor Blackband was having the class silently complete bookwork.

Rose could _feel_ him. She could feel his beautiful, mystifying grey eyes on her, and it took everything in her power to not look back at him. She had finished her work almost immediately after the professor had assigned it, and now she tapped her quill against the table as she willed the class to be over. It had been three days since she had been confronted with the news of Scorpius' future, and Rose could easily say it had been the hardest three days of her life.

The little witch still felt sick to her stomach every time she thought about it, and she felt the need to cry. Her body ached for Scorpius' touch, she felt like she was slowly dying and his hands and mouth were the only things able to save her. She wanted to run back into his arms and kiss him senselessly… but she couldn't, because he had lied to her and broke her into a million little pieces. And she could never trust him again.

The bell tolled then, and the students hurried out of the class, rushing to wherever they were going. Albus was patient as he waited for Rose to pack up, watching her go at a slow pace, careful as not to mess up her perfect organization system. A certain blonde Slytherin snuck up on the couple, and Rose sucked in a breath and looked up when she heard his deep voice.

"Rose, please," Scorpius said, causing Albus to turn around and frown at him, though Scorpius just ignored the protective wizard. "Just tell me what's wrong, tell me what I can do," his voice was pleading and honest filled, and for a split second Rose truly believed he didn't know what he had done. But she was smarter than that.

The dark haired man stepped in between Rose and Scorpius, blocking the wizards view of the stunning witch, "leave her alone, Malfoy," Albus said, matching the grey eyes with his bright green ones. Scorpius stared at Albus for a moment, sighing as he stepped aside to let them pass.

But when Rose walked by him, Scorpius suddenly couldn't control himself. A large pale hand reached out and grabbed her skinny arm and prevented her from going forward, promptly shocking her. Rose gasped when she felt his familiar, comforting warm touch, but her mind instantly reminded her of how he had lied to and betrayed her. "Don't you dare touch me!"

Both of the wizards were shocked when Rose raised her voice high and yelled at the man, stumbling when she pulled her arm away from him. Scorpius' mouth hung open as he watched her quickly leave the room with large tears in her eyes. "Stay away from her! Don't you get it, you've ruined your chances," Albus' face was stiff and his eyes were large as he warned the man, quickly following after his cousin.

"Fuck," Scorpius swore loudly as he watched the man leave, feeling desperate and hopeless. The wizard turned around, grabbing the nearest thing to him and chucked as hard as he could across the room. He watched as a glass globe smashed against the wall, and shattered into tiny pieces. Scorpius was breathing loudly and he felt as if he was on the verge of tears, though he managed to collected himself and exited the classroom.

Scorpius walked fast down the corridors, not knowing exactly where he was going, but that was the farthest thing from his mind. Students moved aside when they saw the tall, angry wizard marching his way down the halls, not wishing to get in his way. His fists were clenched as he continued to stride about, but suddenly he stopped when he spotted a head of familiar auburn hair. "Weasley," he shouted, grabbing the attention of Hugo, whom stood with a group of other fifth-year boys at the end of the hall.

Hugo looked up and frowned when he noticed who had called him, turning back to his friends to tell them to go on without him. The group of boys disappeared as Scorpius approached the lanky boy, a desperate look on his cold face. "Malfoy," the wizard nodded when Scorpius stood in front of him, not entirely too thrilled to be speaking to him.

"Hugo, you've got to help me- _please_." Scorpius pulled a hand through his soft white hair, watching as the younger boy raised an eyebrow at him. "Just tell me what I did! I'm at a loss here, I don't understand what's wrong. One moment she is happy and fine, and the next she is disgusted with me. Please, I need to know."

The freckled boy sighed as he watched the man hopelessly beg, feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. "You really don't know," Hugo asked mostly to himself, having seen the truth in his eyes, watching as the blonde shook his head. His blue eyes looked to the ground, seeming to have an internal debate. "The Slytherin girl told Rosie about you and her, and how you are getting married after school because your betrothed-"

"What," Scorpius yelled and cut Hugo off, completely taken aback. The boy looked at Scorpius with curious eyes, surprised by his reaction. "What in the hell are you talking about? I'm not engaged to anyone, nor have I ever been." His own words suddenly stopped as a thought popped into his head, and rage filled him.

Hugo took a step forward, shock written all over his face. "Wait, wait, wait. You're not marrying anyone?" Scorpius shook his head, "then why would someone tell Rosie that?" The blonde wizard suddenly wore a smirk so cruel and dangerous, Hugo took his step back.

"That daft cow is going to pay," Scorpius suddenly yelled as he turned on his heel and stormed off in the other direction, a look of pure fury on his face. Hugo watched as the man walked away with new sense of understanding, hoping that the bird who had lied didn't get hurt too badly.

Scorpius made it down to the Slytherin dungeons in record time, and he banged the portrait open as he stalked in, breathing heavily as his eyes searched the room. Luciano and Quinn immediately stood and began walking over to the man when they saw him enter with a frenzied look in his eyes. "Mate, what's wrong-" Luciano's concerned words were cut off when Scorpius pointed his finger across the room and shouted.

"You!" His voice trembled loudly through the space, scaring everyone who heard it. Melody, who was sat next to Velma and Sabrina, looked up and smirked evilly when she saw the angry man. Scorpius suddenly lunged forward, only held back when Quinn and Luciano grabbed his arms and pulled him, wiping the look straight off her face.

The room watched as the wizard struggled to free himself, his eyes almost a blackish grey as he scowled at the girl. "You fucking bitch," Scorpius yelled, causing several people to gasp out loud and stare in shock. "How dare you go to her and lie, you slag! You had no right to even speak to her."

The two wizard groaned as they struggled to hold Scorpius back. "You need to get it through your thick head that we will _never_ be together. I have never wanted you and I never will! So you just stay the bloody hell away from us and never speak to her again, got it?"

Melody physically shook as she nodded her head, tears filling her eyes as she stuttered out an apology. Scorpius scowled at the cruel girl, not believing she had done what she had. The man spat at her as he left, storming away to his room, and his mates followed a step or two behind.

It took awhile, but Luciano and Quinn finally managed to get Scorpius to calm down enough for him to explain what had happened. Both men were thoroughly appalled by Melody's actions, suddenly feeling that Scorpius' previous outburst was well deserved.

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"For the millionth time, yes." Rose turned back to her worried cousin, slightly agitated when he asked the same question he had been asking for the past couple of days. "Al, I am _positive_ I'm fine. There's no need to stay with me to miss your detention, and get in even more trouble." The witch let out an amused laugh when he opened his mouth to protest.

Grabbing his muscled arm in her petite hand, she gently shoved him in the other direction. "I'll be fine, I promise. Now, go on and try not to find any more mischief." Rose said in her light voice with a small smile on her face, though Albus could tell it was fake. The man smirked and promised her nothing as he kissed her forehead quickly before he went off in the opposite direction.

Rose sighed when Albus was finally gone, supplying the password as she entered the Head's common room. The little witch smiled in a small manner when she spotted a form sitting on one of the couches, "hello, Dawson." The dark haired man looked up from his book, giving Rose an equally enthusiastic smile.

"Evening," the man said, and he quickly spoke up again when she began to retrieve to her room. "Oh, Rose, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment." The witch nodded as she made her way over to him and sat on the opposite couch.

Blue eyes watched as Dawson swallowed loudly, a grimace on his face making it look like he was feeling discomfort. She opened her mouth to ask him if he was okay, but he was faster. "You need to know the truth about Scorpius." Rose stood the second his name left the man's lips, shaking her head violently as she moved towards her room. "No, Rose, please," Dawson yelled after her, "just listen to me for a moment, that's all I ask of you."

Taking a deep breath, Rose tried to control her shaking hands as she walked back over and stood in front of the couch, refusing to sit again. She looked to him after a moment and nodded, her eyes defensive and sad. "I know you might not know this, but me and Scorpius are cousins," the man held up a finger when Rose looked shocked and began to question him, "our mother's are sisters."

After a moment of silence, Dawson continued with an unreadable expression on his face. "That being said, growing up I was around Scorpius a fair amount of time, though he has always been much closer to my older brother than me." Rose nodded, unsure as to where the Slytherin was going as she watched him sigh and begin his story. Though Dawson ached to have the witch in front of him for himself, he had seen how in love she was with his cousin and him in return, and he knew he couldn't stand in the way of such passion. "When we were ten years old Scorpius' grandfather, Lucius, tried getting Scorpius into an arranged marriage."

Rose suddenly spoke, not wanting to listen anymore. "I know this-"

"No," Dawson yelled back at her as he stood from his seat, shocking her slightly. "No, you don't know this, and that is why I just need you to listen for a moment longer." Crossing her arms, Rose shushed herself and listened. "Lucius _tried_ to arrange a marriage with Melody Caldwell for Scorpius, but Draco didn't allow it to happen. Scorpius' father refused to have his life decided for him at such a young age, so he denied Lucius."

Dozens of emotions suddenly filled Rose, but hope overpowered them all. "Rose, she lied to you! Melody lied when she told you that she and Scorpius are getting married. I know it may seem confusing, but I promise you Scorpius isn't betrothed to anyone, and likely never will be." Dawson watched as Rose sobbed out loudly, a shaking hand coming up to cover her mouth.

Everything felt too good to be true, it felt like a dream to her. Her eyes watered as she thought over what Dawson had just said, and it all of a sudden hit her; Scorpius hadn't lied. A huge smile took over Rose's face, and a weak laugh escaped her. She looked up towards Dawson and he could see the happiness shining in them. The man was shocked when she stumbled forward and hugged him tightly, thanking him over and over again. "He is holding practice right now," Dawson hinted.

Dark eyes watched as she pulled back and smiled at him, thanking him one last time as she ran from the room. And though Dawson was sure he had just done the right thing, he wondered why he felt a sense of regret fill him.

Her long hair flew behind her as she sprinted down the halls, not caring who saw her or what rules she was breaking. The Quidditch pitch never seemed so far away as it did in that moment, and even when her legs began to ache, Rose didn't slow her speed. Her cheeks were flushed and a huge smile was stuck to her lips as she ran to _him._

A cold wind bit at her bare skin as Rose pushed past the doors, not caring that she didn't have a coat. It was the first day of March, and spring seemed to come along with it, as the air was slightly warmer and most of the snow was gone. Just as she escaped the comfort of the castle, the sky seemed to open up and began pouring rain down on her. Her skinny legs ran across the grassy fields of Hogwarts, hardly able to see where she was going as the sun had set hours ago. The witch was soon soaked to the bone as a cool rain wet every inch of her skin, though she didn't care.

Rose felt a panic when she didn't see any of the Slytherin's flying in the air as she ran to the pitch. However joy filled her again when she entered the field and spotted Scorpius and his team standing in the middle of the wet pitch. Cliff Montgomery was the first to spot the little witch through the rain as she hurriedly made her way over to them, smirking as he interrupted his captain's pre-practice speech. "Oi, Malfoy," the boy said loud enough to be heard through the rain, receiving a glare from the angry man as he stopped speaking.

Scorpius rose an eyebrow when Cliff pointed behind him, turning just in time to catch Rose as she ran and jumped into his arms. The little witch launched her wet body into Scorpius' embrace, locking her legs around his waist as his strong arms held her up. Her small hands reached up and grabbed his face, roughly pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Cheers erupted from the team behind them, but the couple didn't hear anything as their lips attacked each other. Scorpius felt himself fall into a state of euphoria, as his hands roamed over the beauty he had craved for the past several days. They had missed each other so much it almost hurt, and they kissed to make up for every moment they had been apart. Raindrops slowly slid down their faces, though when Scorpius finally pulled back he could decipher her tears from the rain.

Zoee and Luciano smiled at the couple, happy to seem them back together as they ushered the team off the field and out of the rain to try and give the two some privacy. Scorpius reached a hand up and stroked her soft face, adoring the beautiful smile she wore. Rose's fingers ran through his soaked wet hair, pulling his head closer so they were only inches apart as their foreheads rested against one another.

The wizard felt his heart nearly burst out of his chest when he heard three simple words fall from her lips. " _I love you_." Rose blushed as she admitted her feelings for him, but she knew it was true, she knew that she loved him unconditionally. The words sounded so utterly perfect as she spoke them, and Scorpius felt an ache he didn't know he had become filled. When he didn't say anything back she began rambling and explaining herself.

"I know it sounds crazy but it's true. In these past few days I have realized I love you and I cannot live without you, because every minute I spent without you was more painful than anything I have ever experienced. And I know that I need you more than I need air to breath. I love everything about you without any question, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I am so, _so sorry_ for believing her and not listening to you, because I should have trusted you. But I was just so-"

Her fast words were cut off when Scorpius pressed his lips hard against her, enveloping her apology with his kiss. They kissed for a long moment, pressed up against each other as the heavens continued to pour down on them. " _I love you,_ " Scorpius said against her lips when they pulled apart, shocking Rose beyond belief.

"You don't have to say it just because I did-" but her words faded off when he shook his head. His hands cupped the side of her face as he stared deep into her eyes, not believing she felt the same as he did.

Scorpius' thumb ran over her wet bottom lip, tugging fondly on it. "No, you stupid witch. I'm saying it because I truly love you, and I need you in my life more than I need anything else." Rose let out a sob of joy as she smiled and pulled him in for a kiss, not caring when their teeth clashed together.

The couple stood in the middle of the field for several long minutes, not caring about the rain as they embraced each other. Scorpius grinned back at Rose when they pulled back and she quietly spoke to him, "say it again."

"Rose Blaire Weasley, I love you," the man declared loudly, causing her to laugh. They repeated the simple, yet life altering, words back and forth to each other dozens of times, loving the sound of it. It took awhile, but when Scorpius noticed Rose shaking from the cold in his arms, he easily moved her so he was holding her bridal style, and carried her back to the castle.

That night, after drying off and snuggling into her bed, the pair fell asleep as they declared their love for each other.


	41. Chapter 41

First off I just wanted to say thank you for all the amazing and supporting reviews, please keep them coming. Also, was last chapter what you expected it to be? Leave me your ideas for what you think will happen next… and as always, enjoy!

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Weary eyes slowly opened, and a large pale fist came up to rub the residue of sleep away. Taking a deep breath, he allowed his lungs to be fully filled before he let all of the air out, groaning quietly as he sat up in his bed. The small amount sunlight that found its way under the deep lake was filtered an eerie green color, giving the room an uncanny look, though he was use to it. Sitting on the edge of his still warm bed, the wizard stretched out his naked torso, working out all the kinks he received from a good night of rest.

For the first time in days Scorpius was able to actually sleep more than two hours, and not have his mind racing on about Rose. A small grin filled his lips when he thought of his little lady, and how they had spent the entire previous night whispering how much they loved the other.

Standing, Scorpius made his way over to the long, thin window, watching as a few sea creatures swam past. Though he quickly became bored, and sighed as he turned and made his way over to grab his clothes for the day, not having to wear his uniform as it was a Saturday. Looking to his clock he saw it was only five in the morning, but paused when he saw his mail sitting on his desk.

An alabaster hand reached out and grabbed the four envelopes, all of which had bold family crests stamped into wax onto the back, two of the same and the other two different. With a exhale, Scorpius opened the one he knew would likely be most problematic.

Lucius Malfoy's elegant script filled an entire page, with sophisticated words and well structured statements. But it didn't matter how it was written, the message was clear; he didn't approve. The older wizard had managed to fill three entire pages of parchment with words of disapproval and objection to Scorpius' pick of witch. The blonde man rolled his eyes when he read how his grandfather was 'forbidding' him from seeing her, knowing well he wasn't ever going to give up Rose. When his grey eyes grazed over the sentence claiming Scorpius was 'ruining the family name and years of tradition', he simply set the letter ablaze and didn't bother to pick up the ashes.

Scorpius moved onto the next letter, which was written by his other grandfather on the behalf of himself and his wife. The older wizard first clearly stated his uncertain opinion on the matter, stating how no wizard on either side of the family had _ever_ married a non-pureblood. But after bluntly expressing his shock over the matter, he went on to write how himself and Scorpius' grandmother were ecstatic over the news of him having found someone. Scorpius smirked when it was demanded they meet her over Easter break, knowing he would have to talk to Rose about that one. In the end, they both wrote their love for him and sent him well wishes.

This left two letters, and Scorpius opened the one from Gregory Goyle next. His godfather told him how he had recently been informed of the news, and immediately congratulated. He stated how he had briefly seen the girl a time or two when she had gone to the ministry with her father or uncle. Gregory praised him over finding such a lovely and seemingly brilliant witch, telling him how he hoped to meet her in the near future.

The very last letter was from his grandmother, Narcissa, and Scorpius held his breath as he used his thumb to tear open the envelope. The wizard knew the letter could likely go either way, but prayed for a certain response. With an equally as charming script as her husband, the woman filled a single page with small cursive letters.

' _My Dearest Scorpion,_

 _Your father has just informed your grandfather and I of your courtship with one, Miss Weasley. I must tell you, I was a bit taken aback at the sudden news, but I do believe your grandfather has taken it a spare harder than I. In fact, he has just vanished from my side to write you a strongly worded letter of objection. And so I wished to send you a letter of my own and tell you not to listen to a single word your foolish grandfather has to say. Lucius is simply letting out his frustrations on you, and I do hope you won't take it to heart. So please, my darling, ignore any of the impolite things I am sure he has written to you._

 _That being said, I would like to send to you my congratulate. Though I haven't heard much about Miss Weasley, the things I have caught drift of have been nothing but of excellence. My sweetheart, I truly hope you are happy with this young lady, and if you believe she is the one for you, never let her go._

 _I would like to invite you and your witch to dinner over Easter break. I hope you aren't put off by your grandfather's words, and accept this invitation, as I would be honored to meet her. I love you and will see you soon. -Narcissa Malfoy.'_

Scorpius wore a full smile by the time he finished the letter, a feeling of hope and happiness filling him. He felt relieved to know his family knew of Rose, and was glad most of their responses were positive. A rush of delight passed through him, and Scorpius suddenly was rushing his clothes on, with the abrupt urge to see his little witch.

His legs led him past his sleeping roommates, and out into the silent and undisturbed corridors of the castle. Scorpius managed to keep his pace slow, though he wanted to sprint down the empty halls and shout at the top of his lungs. The man looked out the windows as he made his way, watching as the sun made its way up, just barely peeking from between the tree branches.

Soon he was walking up the stairs to Rose's dorm, quietly pushing the door open to her room as he silently walked in and shut it behind him. Scorpius smirked when he spotted the tiny bundle of blankets in the center of the large bed, listening to her slow and steady breathing. The wizard didn't make a single noise as he walked over to her, amazed at how deeply she always slept.

The witch didn't move a inch when the bed dipped next to her, and Scorpius smiled when he looked down and saw her beautiful face. Rose's nose was scrunched up, and her pouty lips were parted, with her long lashes fluttering against her cheek. He reached out a hand and softly stroked the side of her face, thinking she looked like a perfect innocent angel.

Rose suddenly gasped, turning on her side to face Scorpius as a tiny frown came to her lips. The wizard watched, transfixed, as small sighs continued to escape her, getting louder with each second. Scorpius felt his blood turn icy when he saw a sparkling tear slide down her face, as her petite hand moved out and grasped her sheets.

He finally moved forward and began shaking her awake when she started to toss and turn, quiet mewls and cries filling the thick air. Scorpius' large hand landed on her shoulder, and he scooted next to her as he gently began to shake her awake. But it didn't work.

A full minute later Rose was thrashing about, loud sobs leaving her. "No," she moaned, "no, please stop!" Scorpius felt panic rush through him when he heard her small cries, and he felt his heart split in two as he watched more tears fall down her rosy cheeks. The wizard started shaking her harder and began hollering her name.

Rose woke a moment later, gasping loudly as her eyes flew open. The witch panicked when she found a large body next to hers, and she yelled loudly as she pushed against the hands that held her, hitting and punching wherever she could. "Rosie," she heard a familiar voice say, "Rose, calm down, it's me." Suddenly she stopped, letting her eyes adjust to the dark as the outline of Scorpius came into view.

A sob escaped her as she flung herself into his arms, openly crying into his neck, breathing in his calming scent. "He was here," the unstable girl cried into his arms, her voice quivering. "Scorpius, _he_ was here. A-and he was torturing me, and he said he was going to kill me and then he was coming to kill you!" When the last of her words left her, Rose seemed to reached her breaking point.

Her small fists came up and tightly grabbed onto Scorpius shirt, pulling him so close he could hear her erratic heartbeat. "Sh, Rose. It was only a dream, I promise you he isn't here. No one can get to you." Rose continued to cry, as he held her in her arms and calmed her the best he could. "You're safe now, I won't ever let anyone hurt you." Scorpius' hand rubbed up and down her back, and he dropped kisses all over her face.

It took several minutes, but Rose eventually calmed down, and soon she was simply sniffling with her head resting on his shoulder. "It seemed so real, Scorpius." The man kissed the top of her head as he pulled her as close as possible. "I can _feel_ him," she said after a moment of silence, her words shocking Scorpius slightly. "I can feel him and sense him all around me, and I know he is coming. I know it is just a matter of time before he steals me again, but now he won't waste even a second; he will do just what he has been yearning to do for years."

Scorpius felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to Rose speak so darkly, as if she had already been defeated. "Look at me," he said, and when she didn't he grabbed her chin with his hand and forced her eyes up. His heart hurt when he saw the panic in her pretty eyes, and he wished to do nothing more than take away all of her fear.

"I promised you that I would never let a soul close enough to hurt you, and that promise holds true." Blue and grey eyes clashed, and Rose knew she could believe every word he said. "Rosie, you are my life now; you are my present and you are my entire future. And if you think for a single second that I will ever let _anyone_ lay a single finger on you, you are wrong. It is my job to protect you, and that is what I am going to do.

"I love you more than I have ever loved a single thing in my whole life, and I am not going to let anything take you away. So I need for you to trust me and not worry, because you are completely safe with me."

Her eyes watered as she looked to the incredible man in front of her, wondering how she got so blessed. Rose leaned forward and kissed him for a second, tasting her own tears on her lips. When they pulled back she was smiling, "I love you." Scorpius smiled back, reaching a hand up to stroke up and down her stunning face.

"And I love you," he replied, pecking her lips one last time, as his thumbs wiped away any remaining tears from her face. The couple spent some time in Rose's bed, simply snuggling and talking to each other. But an hour later, Rose reluctantly got out of bed, giving Scorpius a phenomenal view of her bum as she strut into the bathroom.

The wizard waited without complaint, seemingly only having patience when it came to Rose, but nothing else. When she finally reappeared, Scorpius smiled and told her how beautiful she was, causing her to blush. Rose bit her lip when she walked back over to him, and Scorpius knew she was about to say something he wouldn't like. "Yesterday I had promised Albus I would help him with his essay due on Monday, and I am meeting him after breakfast in the library."

A frown instantly feel on Scorpius' lips, having planned on spending every minute of the day with her. Rose bit back a giggle when she saw him sulk, moving forward to wrap her arms around his waist. "I'll only be gone for an hour at most; he said he has a majority of it finished." Scorpius nodded, knowing there was nothing he could do about the situation. "Though, I was wondering if you could come with me, just to allow me to introduce you two real quickly and then you can leave. I explained to him the entire situation the other night, and it took him awhile of me pleading with him, but he finally believed me. And I think it would be wonderful for the two of you to meet."

Scorpius smirked when he saw her put her chin on his chest and look up to him with an irresistible pout on her pink lips. Bending down, the wizard kissed her again but surprised her when he took her bottom lip in his teeth and bit gently. "Oh alright," he spoke when they pulled back, "but if I wind up dead, it will be your fault."

A giggle escaped Rose, as she promised she would never allow such a thing to happen. The couple then made their way down to breakfast, and the hall was virtually empty, as it was still only seven thirty in the morning. Sleepy students steadily poured into the hall, filling their plates with the delicious food set out for them.

During breakfast Scorpius smiled as set his fork down and looked to Rose, the two of them still alone. "So I got some letters this morning," he said casually, grabbing her attention. "My parents told my family about us."

Rose's eyes doubled in size, and a worried look took over her pretty face. "What did they have to say?"

Scorpius smiled at her, releasing some of her fears and panic. Reaching out he grabbed her hand and laced it with his under the table. "Well aside from my grandfather, who was rather upset, everyone else was thrilled and sent us their love. Both of my grandparents were wanting to meet you when we go home for Easter next month."

"Oh, that would be lovely," Rose agreed with a smile. But Scorpius could still see the anxious look in her eyes, and bent down to kiss her cheek and assure her that his grandfather would get over himself in no time.

At a quarter to nine, Scorpius and Rose excused themselves from their conversation with Robert and Elliot, joining their hands as they walked out. The short girl beamed when Scorpius snuck his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. They made it to the library in short time, and Rose promised him she would be done in less than an hour as they walked by Madame Pince.

Albus, who was found sitting at the corner table, looked up and smiled when he spotted his cousin walking towards him. However, a frown replaced his smile when he saw the tall blonde by her side with his arm possessively wrapped around her. "What is _he_ doing here," the man spat out as his green eyes glared at the Slytherin.

His anger only tenth folded when Scorpius chuckled lowly, a smirk on his aristocratic face. "I'm only dropping her off," he stated, seeming to calm Albus' nerves.

Rose saw how the two men stared each other down, and decided then would be a good time to step in. Looking towards Albus, she spoke, "I thought it would be nice for you two to officially meet. I know you've known each other since we've been in school, but I am pretty certain you both have never spoken." Emerald eyes moved from the witch to the man who still held her in a way that seemed dominating to Albus, but was comforting to Rose.

Scorpius cleared his throat after a moment of silence, releasing his witch as he stepped around her and reached his hand out, "Potter." The man smirked as he watched Albus suspiciously inspect his hand, and after a moment finally reached forward and met him with a firm handshake.

Rose smiled as she peeked from behind Scorpius at the two, entirely missing the way they stared intensely at each other. "Malfoy," Albus nodded to him as they released hands, moving to sit back in his seat as Scorpius turned to Rose again.

"I'll be back in an hour," Albus heard the man say in a baritone voice, his eyes moving to watch the couple. Rose nodded and smiled at him, moving forward and standing on her toes to press a kiss on his cheek, just above his blonde beard. "Have fun," Scorpius said with a wink as he peered at Albus one last time before making his way out of the library.

A smile was on her face as Rose sat across from Albus, grabbing the his essay which laid in the center of the table, reading it over to see what he had already done. "Albus," Rose said in a reprimanding tone, "you told me you had already finished more than half! There is only four sentences here-"

"I don't like him," Albus interrupted, his eyes still lingering on the place Scorpius had disappeared to. Rose looked up to him, a surprised expression on her face as she had thought they had seemed friendly to each other.

Her brows furrowed as she tilted her head to the side, softening Albus with the lovably innocent look she had on her face. "What," her light voice asked, "I thought you two seemed fine." The wizard simply shook his head, causing Rose to let out a great sigh. "Well, can you at least _try_ not to hate him?"

The dark haired man simply remained stony faced, although his lips twitched when Rose pouted. "Please, Al? It would really, truly mean a lot to me. And I know you probably don't want to hear this, but he isn't going anywhere as long as I have a say in things. So the way I see it, you have two options; you can either continue to hate him and make me sad as ever, or you can accept him and make me the happiest witch in the world."

Albus took in a long, slow breath as he stared deep into Rose's pleading blue eyes. As he let out his breath he rolled his eyes, "oh, alright." But he held up a finger when Rose instantly smiled and clapped her hands, "I promise you I will try. There is no guarantee I will like him, but I will at least try to tolerate him."

Rose beamed and nodded, leaning across the table to peck him on the cheek. "Thank you, Al, it means a lot." Albus simply nodded, motioning to his uncomplicated essay. With a single eyebrow arched, Rose held up the piece of parchment, "this is pathetic, Albus. The very few words you've managed to write down on your own are complete nonsense."

The witch giggled along with Albus when he barked out a laugh, the both of them with matching gleams in their eyes. "Well thanks for the words of encouragement," he said, laughing when the ever so sweet and gentle girl apologized for offending him. "I'm only kidding, Rosie Rue."

Sighing, the girl crumpled up his piece of parchment, grabbing a clean piece from the stack on one of the library tables. Rose sat down again, pushing the parchment in front of him as she also handed him a quill. And with several reminders to stay on task, and one stern look from Rose, Albus had his entire essay finished fifty minutes later. "Finally," the man cried out when the last word was written, flexing his cramped hand. "You know, I honestly don't have a clue what I would do without you, Rosie."

The witch laughed, telling him it was no problem at all. Albus left minutes later, but only after Rose had promised him Scorpius would soon be with her. The auburn haired girl shook her head as she cleaned up the mess her cousin had left, unaware as she began to hum. Rose was hardly able to hold back a scream when two hands were suddenly on her waist, pulling her back.

"It's me," a deep and familiar voice whispered into her ear, instantly calming her. Rose placed her hands over the large pale one that were clasped against her stomach, leaning her head back onto Scorpius' chest. One of his hands entwined with hers, and Rose smiled when Scorpius twirled her around to face him. "How'd it go," he asked, making Rose giggle when he bent down and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Fine," she asked, slightly distracted as the handsome man made a trail of kisses down her face to her lips. Rose ran her hands up his back and pulled his neck downward, pressing her front against his own. Their lips fought each others, and when his tongue slid into her mouth, Rose let out a muffled moan. But the witch pulled back when she felt his large and warm hand slide down her back to grab her backside. "Scorpius," she said breathlessly, though the man only hummed in response as his lips moved down to her neck. "We're in the library, someone could see us," Rose said in an appalled tone, biting her lip and looking around to find no one else studying on a Saturday.

Scorpius pulled back after a moment, smiling and reaching up to pull her swollen lip free from her teeth. The wizard knew Rose truly didn't feel comfortable doing anything in pubic, so he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and offered his hand out to her. Rose smiled at the wizard pecking him on the lips one last time before she took his hand, happy to have him by her side.


	42. Chapter 42

Rose and Scorpius get to know each other in new ways in this chapter, please leave me your feedback and tell me what you think. Enjoy!

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Blue eyes lingered from the black words typed onto the white pages, as a small girl turned in her seat to look back at the door for the fifteenth time in the past minute. Rose sighed when she saw it remained closed as it had been since she last shut it, turning as she looked back down and read the same sentence she had already read a dozen times over. Straight white teeth came down and sunk deep into the delicate skin of her lip, worrying it as she forced herself to concentration on her book and not the door.

Rose jumped high from her spot on one of the couch cushions when, a bit later, she heard a deep voice sounding right beside her ear. "You know, you're hands down the easiest person to sneak up on," Scorpius said with a smirk, as he stood there behind the couch and bent down to her head. A smile took over her face the minute the fear vanished from her, as Rose quickly tossed her book aside and stood on her knees to turn around and face him.

Thin arms came up and wrapped around Scorpius' neck, pulling him down so his lips were firmly planted on her own. The wizard quickly recovered from his shock, kissing back as he reached down and grabbed her tiny waist so he could pull her up and sit her on the edge of the couch. Rose giggled into his mouth when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, almost hugging her as his lips continued to fight with hers.

One of his large hands reached up and buried itself in her hair, massaging her scalp as he tilted her head back to get a better angle to her lips. Scorpius groaned when he felt Rose bite his lip playfully, tugging at a handful of his silky hair. He was even more shocked when she pulled back and breathlessly relocated her lips on his neck, thoroughly kissing and nipping at a spot between his jaw and collarbones.

Rose's hot breath washed down the front of him, causing him to shiver and use the hand in her hair to pull her closer to him. One of her small hands came to hold the side of his face, running through the blonde hair that made up his neat beard. After a few minutes of her attack, Rose pulled back when she knew she had made a bruise on his throat, lightly kissing it one last time before she brought her face up to his. "I've missed you terribly," Rose admitted, though she had seen him no more than twelve hours ago, staring deep into his stormy eyes.

Scorpius smirked when he heard her words, feeling happy to know she felt the same way he had. His dark iris' swept down her face, observing how her bottom lip seemed to be beaten bloody, as it was slightly bruised and had a few miniscule bites on it. "Apparently," he said lowly, secretly having missed her too. His eyes went back to hers as his thumb reached up to softly rub back and forth over the bullied lip.

Taking hold of her waist again, Scorpius helped her off the edge and led her over to the couch. The couple faced each other as they set up Rose's muggle chess board on the cushion between them, a competitive smile on both of their lips. "So," the brunette said casually a minute or two after the game started, causing Scorpius to look up from the board. "I've been owling my family, and almost all of them have said that they would be thrilled to meet you."

Rose quickly spoke again, her eyes trained to the board as it was her turn, though Scorpius knew she could win the game even if she was blindfolded. "I know the thought of it probably seems really overwhelming, but when you're in a room with everyone it really doesn't seem like that many people. And I know it might be a little soon, but they have all been on my case about it since they found out about us last month, and telling any one of my family members no is probably one of the most difficult things ever. Most of them are entirely too stubborn-"

"Rosie," Scorpius interrupted her rant with a laugh. The girl looked up, peering at him through her long thick lashes. "I would love to meet them," he agreed, and added, "though I might need you to draw out a family tree or make list of names for me." Rose giggled, moving her knight a space over as she promised him she wouldn't leave him emptied handed and would give him plenty of time to study before Easter. "What about your other grandparents, your mum's? Will we be meeting them too?" Scorpius asked eagerly, wishing to meet muggles and maybe even enter a home of one.

Though as soon as the words left his mouth, the wizard knew he had made a mistake by the way Rose's eyes became sad as they looked down, her hands going to play with each other. "No… they're gone," the witch said in a small and weak voice, causing Scorpius to curse himself.

Wishing he could take back his words, he quickly apologized. "Merlin. Rose, I'm so sorry. I didn't know they had passed-" Though his expression of regret was cut short when Rose shook her head, her eyes yet to look up.

"They aren't dead," Rose said quickly, confusing Scorpius beyond comprehension. The witch finally looked up a minute later as she took a deep breath, and the blonde felt his heart squeeze painfully when he saw how much hurt was in her blue orbs. Sighing, Rose explained, "during the war, when my mum was seventeen, she erased herself from their minds with a charm. They were left with no recollection at all that she had ever even been born. My mum sent them off to Australia to live amongst other muggles. They had been too great of a target for the Death Eaters, and my mum thought that was the best things to do in order to keep them safe.

"After the war was over, and it was safe for muggle and muggleborns again, my mum went to retrieve them and restore their memories. But when she went, she said she was unable to take them away from the happy lives they had created for themselves in Australia. And so, she left them safe and content. The last time she checked on them, they were still alive and well. So, they technically aren't dead, but I have never met or seen them, and never will get to know them." Rose ended her story with a sigh, yet she somehow felt different; as if telling Scorpius was a relief.

Scorpius suddenly felt more respect for Rose's mother than he could possibly convey; he knew it must have taken a great deal of courage, and left her with a huge heartache. He knew he would be lost without his parents, and appreciated them so much more. When Rose looked back to the game, and moved her piece, Scorpius knew she didn't wish to talk about it anymore. So he gave her a small smile to tell her he was sorry, and played his own turn.

The man spoke up again a minute later, "have you thought about my offer, about meeting my grandparents over break?" Rose nodded, and Scorpius' lips twitched upward as he watched her bite her lip unconsciously. Reaching across the space he pulled her lip free, and when she blushed guiltily he simply winked and caused her to blush deeper.

Her large and kind blue eyes looked to him, and he felt his chest tighten when he could see trust and nothing else overwhelming them. "I'd be thrilled to meet them, but only if you think it wouldn't upset anyone. I don't want to make them angry with you or anything." Her words faded off when Scorpius shook his head.

"I promise you no one will be mad, or even upset in the least. In fact I'm positive they would be over the moon with happiness if they were to meet you. You have nothing to worry about." Rose nodded then, agreeing that she would meet them with a large smile on her face. Scorpius grinned back at her, mentally debating whether or not he should ask her another favor.

The wizard cleared his throat, "there's something else too." Over the past six months Rose had gotten slightly better at being able to read Scorpius face, and that was why her stomach dropped when she saw a second of concern flash across his face. "Every year since I was a boy my family and I have gone to the Easter dinner party thrown by the Flint family, which has been a tradition for dozens of centuries. I am of course going this year, but have been invited to bring a guest."

Rose nodded in comprehension, listening as Scorpius continued. "Quinn and Luciano will be there, along with a couple other Slytherins you might recognize. And I was wondering if you would like to accompany me," he asked, though he held up a hand when Rose opened her mouth. "You don't have to answer me now, I'm in no rush. You should think about it, talk to your parents and then make a decision." The girl nodded, and though the thought of going to an elite pureblood dinner scared her, she knew she would be safe with Scorpius the entire night.

The couple continued on with their game, and Rose smiled as she hollered out her checkmate, though Scorpius was highly distracted by something. The witch gasped when Scorpius suddenly grabbed the wrist she had used to knock his piece down, pulling her arm up to his face, handling her gently as if she was a breakable china doll. Scorpius was shocked when, for the first time, he noticed a large scar covering her hand. It was so light, it almost blended in with her golden skin, but he could see the circular scar that took over a part of the front and back of her hand, appearing almost as a patchy birth mark.

"What is this," Scorpius asked as he inspected the uneven skin, his warm fingers coming up to stroke the harmed area. For the most part, Rose's skin remained unmarked and untainted, save for the few small scars she had on her knees from having grown up with two left feet and no sense of balance.

Rose watched as the man across from her kindly caressed the mark, smiling at his gentleness. "Oh, that is from when I worked in the lab to create the Wolfsb-" Her words froze half way out of her mouth, and her eyes were big as saucers when she looked to Scorpius. But it was too late, he had already heard her, and there was no way he was going to forget it.

Scorpius quickly levitated the chess board over to the coffee table so he could scoot closer to her, his eyes big and curious. "Wolfsbane," he stated simply, finishing her sentence for her.

"Oh goodness, what have I done," Rose moaned as she looked up to the heavens, hoping for a miracle… or a time turner. The blonde man next to her looked at her with deep interest, his eyes inspecting her reaction.

Scorpius' lips smirked in the slightest as a million questions raced through his mind. "You were going to say the Wolfsbane potion, weren't you?" When Rose didn't say anything, he took it as a confirmation. "How," Scorpius said slowly, trying to understand. "The second Wolfsbane potion was invented by Regulus Moonshine, when we were nine-"

"I was ten," Rose cut him off, her eyes staring at his lap. She sighed as she looked up, knowing she no way out of the pickle she was in. "If I tell you something, can you promise me you won't ever tell another soul?" Scorpius nodded immediately, and Rose instantly knew she could trust him.

She let out a breath and took his hand in hers as she began her story. "When I was ten, I was invited to work with the potioneer, Regulus Moonshine. He had heard of my passion and talents with potions, and felt as if I could help him. My parents were skeptical at first, but they eventually let me work with him. Mister Moonshine was working on creating the new Wolfsbane potion at that time, a potion that would completely take away all effects of lycanthropy at the time of a full moon. Well, I went, and three months later I was able to create the second Wolfsbane potion.

"The problem was, I was only ten at the time, and technically it is illegal for anyone under the age of seventeen to even enter a professional potion laboratory. Of course I couldn't just come right out and admit that the ten year old me had created a life saving potion. So, I happily agreed to let Mister Moonshine take all the credit for it, as I hardly thought it would be fair to wait until I am seventeen to release it, and keep people in need from this potion."

Scorpius stared in shock as she finished her story, a look of amazement coming over his face. "Most of my family knows, but they've all been put under Unbreakable Vows, swearing they won't ever tell anyone. Me and Mister Moonshine would both go to jail for the offense if anyone finds out. So, you see the importance of keeping this a secret."

The wizard looked to his girlfriend with an astonished face, not believing what he had heard. "You're incredible," he said a moment later, surprising Rose. "You're absolutely hands down the most incredible witch I have ever met." Rose blushed at his words, playing with the hand of his that she still held. "I mean I knew you were brilliant, but for a ten year old's mind to surpass a talented fifty year old pioneer's is simply astounding. Do you realize how many lives have been saved because of you?"

Rose shook her head in a modest way, and Scorpius still couldn't believe how humble of a witch she was. The girl smiled when Scorpius pulled her closer to give her a sweet kiss, holding her face in both of his hands.

An hour later, the couple was found on opposite sides of the couch, Rose reading as Scorpius completed his Herbology homework. Their legs were thrown to the center of the sofa, and Scorpius' were so long they reached Rose at the other end. The wizard's eyes followed Rose as she got up and made her way over to her own muggle record player, the one she had been gifted by her godmother and godfather on her thirteenth birthday. Scorpius smiled when she popped in a record, not recognizing yet enjoying the soft music that played from it.

The smile grew even larger when his witch came back over to him and pulled his work out of his hands and put it on the table, sitting herself sideways in his lap. "Scorpius," Rose said, though she knew she already had his full attention. He hummed in response, brushing a strand of long auburn hair out of her face, admiring the freckles that dusted her skin. "I really enjoyed what we did last week," the statement was vague but Scorpius instantly knew what she was talking about by the deep blush on her cheek.

A pale hand moved and cupped the side of her face, forcing her eyes up after they had drifted down due to embarrassment. Scorpius had thought about what they had done dozens of times everyday since it had occurred, and he nearly died when he heard her speak. "I'm glad, love," he murmured, and Rose felt her heart squeeze when he said his new nickname.

"C-could we maybe, um do it again," Rose's voice stuttered as she spoke, and making her feel foolish as she blushed even harder. Scorpius smirked, happy to know she enjoyed the experience as much as he had.

Leaning forward he kiss her, and used his teeth to grab her lip and tilt her head back. Their lips made a sweet sucking noise as they pulled away, and Rose almost gasped when she looked into his eyes and found they were a shade or two darker than their normal light grey. Scorpius looked to Rose, admiring her captivating endless beauty in the light of the fire. "I would love to do it again, if you want to," his baritone voice said, and his lips turned upward when Rose nodded a second later.

The petite girl went to move as she had laid before, but Scorpius' hand grabbed her arm and stopped her from moving. "I'd like to try something different." Rose's eyes went slightly bigger though she nodded her head, feeling a thrill go through her as she thought of what they were about to do. Scorpius motioned for her to stand up while he moved and sat in the center of the couch, sitting normally with his legs slightly apart.

Rose felt something deep in her stomach flutter and burn and send delicious chills all over her body when she watched Scorpius pat his lap and invite her with a devilish look on his handsome face. Rose moved forward and sat on his lap, straddling him as her hands landed on his pecks. "Kiss me," Scorpius suddenly demanded after a minute of hard breathing.

Wasting no time to complete his order, Rose leaned forward and greedily kiss his lips like she had nothing else in the world to worry about. The witch moaned into Scorpius' mouth when she felt him kiss her slow as he ever had, unhurried and practically worshiping her lips with his own. Scorpius kissed Rose passionately, filling her with a burning heat as sparks of pleasure shot through her every time his hand landed on her.

Both of his hands went to her waist and massaged her soft skin, and he took advantage and snuck his tongue in her mouth as she gasped when Scorpius pulled the end of her uniform shirt from her skirt. Rose shivered at the feel of his hot hands against her cool skin, leaving a fiery path as his fingertips grazed the soft skin of her back. Scorpius smirked against Rose's lips when her hands moved up and started unbuttoning his shirt, though his kisses were extraordinarily distracting and made it a difficult task.

When the shirt was finally undone, Scorpius moved and allowed for her to pull it off his arms and throw it somewhere on the floor. She instantly slid forward in his lap, and pushed the front of her clothed breasts to his warm naked chest. Rose felt her knickers grow very wet as a surge of pleasure rolled through her when Scorpius brought one of the hands under her shirt forward, and stroked the skin just under her bra. Scorpius could tell she was getting impatient when she kissed him rougher and slightly rocked her body against his.

The wizard pulled back and grinned when he saw Rose out of breath with red lips and shining eyes. Rose thought he looked equally captivating, with the flames of the fire lighting up his sinewy bare torso, and a look of undeniable lust written on his face. "Okay," Scorpius' rich voice mumbled. "Move to sit on one of my legs," he said gently, bringing his hands to her waist to help her adjust one of her legs so she only sat astride one of his muscular thighs. His hand moved and pulled the edge of her skirt back, and Scorpius let out a loud low groan when he caught sight of her damp white knickers. The man swallowed and held back from simply ravishing the stunning witch in his arms without a second thought.

"This time instead of using my hand, we're going to use my leg to bring you to an orgasm," Rose blushed furiously when she heard him say the licentious word, and Scorpius thought it was highly endearing. "You're going to rub up against me," he instructed, and Rose hated to admit she was highly confused as to how that would ever feel good. Seeing the uncertainty on her face, Scorpius held her waist and guided her so she pressed down lightly and rubbed up against his thigh.

A loud gasp escaped Rose as she felt an electricity shot through her and melted her insides, " _oh!_ " Scorpius smirked at her reaction, never taking his eyes off of her. His hands guided her back up his leg, and Rose felt the same thrilling feeling explode in the pit of her stomach when he pulled her down again and pushed her clit against his leg.

One of Rose's hands moved up to his shoulder, clutching him tightly as her other hand felt his fast heartbeat under his heated and smooth skin. The witch was quickly addicted to the delicious feeling she endured as she rubbed herself down on Scorpius, and soon she was moving her hips with him. Her soaked knickers rubbed against his leg, and Scorpius groaned when he felt how wet and hot she was. Every gasp and moan and cry that left Rose sounded like beautiful music Scorpius, and he craved to hear more of her sweet mewls. One small hand fell from his heart and rubbed up and down Scorpius' chest, feeling and admiring all of the lithe edges and muscles that twitch and flexed under her touch.

Rose felt as if she was slowly losing herself, feeling a deep burning pleasure build up in the pit of her stomach, driving her on. Minutes later Scorpius no longer needed to lead Rose, and he let his hands wander away from her waist and towards her breasts. Blue eyes rolled to the back of her head as Rose felt Scorpius' gentle touch carefully move and cup the bottom of her bra covered breasts.

"Harder," her aroused voice demanded quietly, causing Scorpius to groan as he felt himself grow stiff in his pants. His hands slowly applied more pressure, and Rose moaned long and loud when Scorpius cupped her full breasts in his large hands and began kneading her. The wizard felt his entire body fill completely with desire and pleasure when her nipples grew hard and pressed against her bra. Rose cried out from the amazing feeling of his hands caressing her heavy breasts, taking away some of the painful ache she felt everywhere in her body.

Her breaths began to leave in pants as Rose moved faster and faster against Scorpius. The wizard knew she was close, so he reluctantly tore his hands away from her breasts and grabbed her waist roughly and tightly, though she didn't mind. Rose moaned loudly when Scorpius stopped her from moving as he pressed her down and guided her in circular motions. "Oh, my! Don't stop!" Her clit was rubbing and pressing against his thigh in the most heavenly way, and Rose felt she no longer had control over her own body.

Rose's mind was clouded with pleasure and if someone were to ask her for her name, she was sure she wouldn't be able to tell them. Scorpius kept his eyes glued to her as he felt her legs clench his thigh tightly, "that's it, love, just let go." And it was his husky words mixed with the pure look of lust in his eyes that drove her over the edge.

With a few more thrusts forward, Rose felt her world crash down, as her body shook with ecstasy. Her fingers dug into his bare chest, but Scorpius didn't notice any of the pain as he watched her, not caring that her nails were cutting into his skin. " _Oh, yes, Scorpius!_ " Rose slumped forward and leaned on him, her body thumping from the effects of the amazing orgasm that still pulsed through her.

Her head was on his shoulder and her hard breaths washed across his neck as she came down from her high, her knickers soaked with a steady pulse between her legs. Though Rose had experienced an orgasm once before, from Scorpius' amazing hands, this one felt entirely different yet still as world alteringly beautiful.

Scorpius breathed loudly as he held his witch, never having experienced anything so raw and honest and arousing in his life. He had watched every second of her orgasm, and he would have the memory of her in his mind forever. After a few minutes Rose seemed to have come back to Earth, and she moved forward to kiss his neck several time before pulling up to face him. "Thank you," she mummered against his lips as she kissed him. The witch gasped when she felt a pressure against her leg, and looked down to find a large bulge in the front of Scorpius' pants. "Oh," she said suddenly, as if it caught off guard. The witch instantly remembered her conversation weeks ago with Elliot, and was concerned for Scorpius' discomfort. "Is that- oh, should we, um-"

"It's fine Rose, I'll take care of myself later, don't worry." Scorpius smiled fondly when Rose's concerned voice asked him if it hurt. "Not at all," he lied, feeling as if he was going to explode if he didn't find release. "Come on," he said gently, moving them so they laid on the couch.

Scorpius pulled Rose so her back was to his chest, and he _accio_ -ed a blanket to put over her. The witch smiled at the kind man, humming contently when his arm wrapped around her and his lips came to kiss the top of her head. Rose felt herself get lulled to sleep in no time, and soon she struggled to keep her eyes open. "I love you, Scorpius," she whispered just as sleep dawned on her.

"I love you too, Rosie," he replied with a smile, happy as a man had ever been. Scorpius fell asleep moments after Rose, a grin on his face as he snuggled and held on tight to the sweet angel in his arms.


	43. Chapter 43

Thanks for all the feedback, please continue! Leave me any ideas, comments, or thoughts you have, and enjoy!

* * *

The sound of sheets sighing against skin cut through the thickly silent air, followed by a quiet groan of frustration. Rose squeezed her eyes shut tight as she prayed for sleep to come onto her, having been relentlessly tossing and turning in her bed for the past hour and a half. Normally the witch fell straight asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows, but tonight her body seemed to be buzzing with anticipation that wasn't to be fulfilled.

Her petite hand came up to adjust her pillows, flopping onto her stomach and burying her head into the nest of cushions. Rose nearly cried out in frustration, wondering why her body refused to shut down. Though in the back of her mind she already knew why.

It had been three entire days since Rose had seen Scorpius… technically she had seen him, but only briefly in the class they shared or during meals. For the past couple of days the two of them had been busy with their own responsibilities; healers lessons, prefects meetings, Quidditch practice, tutoring. Scorpius and Rose hadn't been able to spend more than an hour with each other, and it was taking a hard toll on Rose.

Her body physically craved and ached for Scorpius' sweet and addictive touch. The reality of it all hit her rather harshly as she laid there with her head drowned in the pillows. Rose realized just how much she needed Scorpius, not only emotionally, but physically too. She had gone a mere seventy-two without his hands on her, and she felt ready to break down and cry.

A low sob escaped as she roughly turned on her back again, huffing as her hands came up to fold over her stomach. Rose no longer bothered to try and fall asleep, and she stared up at her ceiling as she tried to think of anything but her wizard. But it seemed the harder she tried to direct her thoughts away from him, the more she thought of Scorpius.

She thought all about him; his captivating and mysterious eyes, his glorious warm hands, his delicious lips, his expert tongue. Rose groaned loudly as she thought of how he used his hands and mouth on her, and she threw her head back onto the pillows as she grabbed the material of her nightgown in her hands. She felt as if she was going insane when she felt her center start to throb with need, as a dampness leaked into her knickers.

Her fists squeezed tightly onto her silky dress and her legs shut tightly, trying to ebb some of the desire away. Rose wanted nothing more than for Scorpius to barge down her door that instant, leap into her bed and devour her like he had so graciously done before. Rose shut her eyes and one of her hands slowly crept down her stomach, fingering the edge of her knickers.

Thoughts of when Scorpius had showed Rose how to 'please herself' overwhelmed her brain, and she relived every second of the memory. She thought of how nice it had felt to have his hand where hers currently were, stroking and rubbing her in an heavenly way, knowing just what to do to push her over the edge. Her fingers mimicked the memory of his, applying pressure to the places he had, trying her best to do what he had.

But nothing felt as good as it had felt with him. Rose cried out again, pulling her hand back above the covers as she realized nothing would feel as satisfying as his actual touch. She bit her lip hard as she turned over on her side, chewing on the soft skin as she breathed loudly and tried to find slumber.

A full hour later Rose had managed to fall asleep, though her mind continued to flutter on with thoughts of Scorpius the whole night through.

* * *

March passed in a quick blur for Rose, and soon she found herself days away from April. The witch closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, inhaling the warmed air of spring, tasting the light dampness which lingered from the storm the night before. As she peeked open her eyelids she looked out the opened window of the hospital wing, having unlocked it and let some air in for the first time in months. The fresh air seemed to do the hall good, getting rid of the slightly sterile smell.

Rose's lips turned downward when she thought back to the group of students who had come shuffling in an hour ago, with a third-year who had received a concussion from horsing around on their brooms. The girl had never been able to understand the desire and hype over riding a broom, granted she had never been on one herself as she had always had a terrible fear of them since she was a toddler.

Just as she moved to go onto her next task, Rose was interrupted by her mentor. "Rose dear, why on Earth are you still working? It's almost seven o'clock, get out of here and try to enjoy the nice weather while it lasts." Madame Strout frowned when Rose tried to argue with her and finish her tasks. "Now, are you trying to start a fight with me? Go on and spend some time with that handsome beau of yours," the older woman said with a smirk, winking as she pointed behind Rose's shoulder.

Some what confused, Rose turned around and beamed brightly when she spotted Scorpius standing at the other end of the hall, seeming as if he had just come in. "I'm sorry," his elegant voice said politely, "I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just coming to visit Rose and see when she would be done for the night."

Miriam Strout grinned at the courteous boy, knowing he was a good match for her little healer. "Oh no, you didn't interrupt at all. In fact, I was just telling Miss Weasley here that I demand she go out and get some fresh air. She has worked all too hard today and needs a well deserved break."

The small girl blushed graciously, never having enjoyed being the center of attention. Scorpius smirked and continued making his way over toward the two witches. "I think that's a splendid idea," the wizard said, with a glint in his grey eyes. Scorpius then walked forward and stole Rose's hand in his, smiling at the healer as he pulled lead his reluctant witch out. "Have a nice night, ma'am," he said, causing Madame Strout to shake her head and laugh at the unexpected couple.

"How was your evening," Scorpius asked once they were in the corridor, looking sideways down at Rose. The wizard was highly amused when he saw her huff out a breath and pull her hand over out of his to cross her arms over her chest.

Scorpius tried hard not to chuckle when Rose stopped walking with a look of severe discontent on her pretty face. "Sometimes people can be so witless, you know." The tall blonde bit his lip to stop from smiling, enjoying the endearing pout on her lips. "I mean, who even invented Quidditch," she suddenly said. "It's the most useless and foolish thing ever, only created to give healers and mothers a heart attack every time it's played."

Suddenly offended, Scorpius crossed his own muscled arms over his brawny chest as he stared down at Rose. "Quidditch is useless, ay?" Rose looked up to him, nodding in a stubborn way.

"Just today three different student came down to the wing for injuries, because they had all been out and flying in the good weather. _Three!_ I mean if that doesn't show you how dangerous of a game it is, I'm not sure what will." Scorpius felt some of his annoyance melt away when he watched Rose miserably fail at trying to blow a piece of hair out of her face, which only caused her to become even more aggravated.

The tall man sighed, "Rose, can I ask you something?" The auburn haired girl nodded immediately. "Have you ever even been on a broom," he asked, and when she opened her mouth, he added, "while it was in the air."

Scorpius smirked when Rose's nose twitched in irritation as her bottom lip stuck out. "Well, technically, no. But that's only because I have a brain and I don't particularly want to die." The wizard finally broke, and chuckling at Rose's new found dramatics, which was the wrong thing to do.

Rose frowned further when she heard Scorpius laugh, thinking he was mocking her. The witch stomped her foot, turning on the spot and swiftly walked away from Scorpius. Quickly realizing his mistake, Scorpius lept forward, able to catch Rose's arm in one big stride. "No, wait," he said, happy when she actually listened and turned to face him. "I wasn't trying to make fun of you, love, you know I would never. I've just haven't met anyone with such opposing ideas on flying before."

Blue eyes instantly softened and she nodded, but Scorpius could tell she still felt slightly hurt. The man reached a hand out and cupped her face, taking the reaming step between them so he could lean down and kiss her. Rose instantly responded, forgetting all of their bickering as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close. "Rose, do you trust me," he asked when they pulled back a full minute later.

Rose nodded right away, and Scorpius smiled, grabbing her hand and leading her somewhere unknown. The two walked the corridors of the school, passing by dozens of students, who no longer gawked and stared, much to Rose's relief. "So," she said some time later, still unsure as to where Scorpius was leading her. "I've owled my parents and we've discussed your offer, and I would be honored to go to the Easter dinner with you."

Looking to Rose, Scorpius smiled greatly at her words, half of him having had expected her to decline his invitation. "That's great, I'm so glad you've decided to come." Rose smiled back at him, enjoying the warm feeling she got when he moved and wrapped his arm around her little waist.

"Have you been studying," she asked in a light tone. Rose had come through on her words and actually gave Scorpius a list of her entire family with names and ages. Scorpius had laughed for hours when he got it, joking that she was the biggest organization freak he knew. But if he were going to be truthful, he was secretly glad she had given it to him.

The man laughed, "I think I've got just about half of them memorized. Which is pretty damn good if I do say so myself… I mean, there is twenty-eight of you in total." Rose giggled back, telling him it was very impressive and she was quite proud of his studying skills.

By then Scorpius was leading Rose outside, and he couldn't help but smile as he watched her close her eyes and let the sun wash over her, thinking she was the most beautiful witch in the entire world. The sun was just setting and the sky was lit a bright orange color, with the warm breeze heating the chilly air. "Come on," Scorpius said gently, leading her down toward the small building she knew was the Slytherin Quidditch locker rooms.

Rose stood outside the room when Scorpius instructed her to, surprised when he popped back just a second later. Her suspicions began to rise when she spotted Scorpius holding a broom in his pale fist, as he smirked at her and grabbed her hand in his other. Rose became very doubtful when Scorpius led her onto the Quidditch pitch, which was deserted of all students though it had been occupied almost the whole day.

Scorpius turned to Rose when they stood in the middle of the large field, and the witch didn't approve the mischievous smirk on his lips. "You said you trust me, right," he confirmed, but Rose looked at him with concern, shaking her head as she began taking small steps backward.

"Oh no," Rose said firmly, amusing Scorpius. "You tricked me, you devious git!" Scorpius bursted out laughing when he heard Rose, knowing that was probably the rudest thing she had ever said aloud to someone. "Scorpius, I trust you with my life, but I am _not_ getting on that broomstick."

A patient sigh escaped the man as he placed his broom on the ground and held his hands out as he walked the few steps over to Rose. The witch took the last step between them when he stood a few inches away from her, placing her hands on the hard ridge of his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. Scorpius bent low, and Rose closed her eyes but he didn't kiss her, he simply let his breath wash over her face, his spicy scent filling her entire body.

Ocean eyes reopened after a moment of nothingness, and Scorpius moved forward the final inch the moment her eyes were connected with his. Rose gasped into the kiss, feeling her body engulfed in beautifully painful flames that caused her to reach up and pull him closer to her by his broad shoulders. She kissed him with all she had, and yet it still didn't feel like enough, Rose simply wanted to give her all to Scorpius.

In all of history, never before had a man been as infatuated with a woman, as Scorpius was with Rose. She was his entire reason for living; every breath he took was for her. His large hands moved down to her waist, and he realised just how delicately fragile and feminine she was as he caressed her soft skin. Scorpius normally got quiet tired of kissing a witch once he had done it a time or two, finding the excitement from the first time to disappear completely. But it was different with Rose… every time he kissed her it felt like the first time. He felt sparks of joy and passion rush through him every time she touched and stroked his skin.

Scorpius and Rose had a special kind of love, a love that only came once in a blue moon. A love that was made in the stars. They loved each other with every cell in their bodies, and their passion for the other was plain for the world to see.

When they pulled back they both wore similar grins, and Rose leaned her head on Scorpius' chest for a moment to hug him, simply wanting to feel him against her for a second longer. The wizard smiled down at her, bending to kiss the top of her head as he held her safe in his arms. "I love you," Scorpius said, still feeling a slight thrill every time he admitted those three words.

Rose looked up to him, repeating the words with just as much warmth. "Rosie, I would never do anything to put you in dangers way, you know that, right?" The witch nodded, though she bit her lip to try to help her nerves.

"Yes, I know that. It's just I've seen so many people get hurt from flying, and it's been a fear of mine for ages. I'm just not so sure." Scorpius nodded, kissing her forehead as he stroked the side of her face with his thumb.

"I know it seems scary," he admitted, "but I promise you you'll be safe. I've been on a broom since I was two, you have nothing to worry about." When he saw this didn't quite convince her, Scorpius smirked and grabbed her hand in his. "And, if it hadn't been for Quidditch, we wouldn't have ever met."

Brunette brows furrowed as Rose thought, sighing when she remembered he was right. "I suppose," she said slowly and after a minute she sighed again, and instantly Scorpius knew she had given up on the fight. "Oh, alright, you conniving devil." Scorpius smirked at the name, as it was not the first time he had been called such a thing.

With her hand in his, Scorpius led her over to where he had dropped his broom, a smile permanently glued to his face. "I promise I won't let you fall," the wizard comforted as he mounted his broom. "You can sit in front or back of me, which ever you'd like." Rose seemed to seriously debate her options, something Scorpius found extraordinarily adorable. When she finally made her decision she nodded and sat in front of Scorpius, wanting to feel his touch while she performed the act that had scared her senseless for years.

Scorpius wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flat against his chest, his other hand going to grab the broom in front of her. Rose shivered when she felt a warm breath trickle down her neck, "grab onto my arm and don't let go no matter what you do." The witch nodded as she let out a shaky breath and wrapped her hands securely around the arm that held her belly. "Close your eyes until I tell you to open them." Again the witch nodded, closing her eyes as she turned slightly to bury her head in the crook of Scorpius' neck.

The wizard took a deep breath and cleared his mind from all thoughts of the beautiful witch that was currently clinging to him. Rose felt her stomach twist painfully as the anticipation of what she was doing hit her. But some of her fears flew away when she felt Scorpius' heart beating in his chest against her, knowing he would always keep her safe. "I've got you," the wizard whispered as he tightened his grip on her until it was almost painfully tight.

Rose's heart beat out of her chest when she felt the ground beneath her feet disappear, and her legs slightly swung in the air. Her grip on Scorpius tightened until his arm became numb, but he didn't say anything as he was positive she was terrified. The wizard was sure to go slow and steady on his way upward, as not to scare his girl even more.

A full two minutes later Rose's heart was still pounding hard as ever when Scorpius' voice finally whispered in her ear, "okay, open up, doll." Rose gasped loudly when she pulled away from Scorpius and looked to find herself hundreds of feet in the air, the ground beneath them shrunken and tiny.

The air around them was slightly colder as it whipped around the couple, and a stunning smile lit up Rose's face. The sun was bright and golden as it set, and the fluffy clouds in the sky softened everything, making it all seem like a fantasy land. "Oh, Scorpius," Rose sighed, her cheeks tinted pink from all of the emotions pulsing through her. "It's beautiful… like a dream."

Scorpius had a matching smile and he bent forward to press a kiss to the side of her cheek, as a feeling of bliss consumed him. He watched her face over her shoulder, well aware that she was the most gorgeous witch ever. Her hair shone in the sunlight, bringing out the red tones in it, making her look like an angel. "Can I move," he asked kindly, hoping she would agree. The girl nodded, holding on tight to Scorpius as he slowly edged the broom forward.

Soon they were flying at a faster speed, though still not nearly as fast as Scorpius flew during games. Rose let out an airy giggle as she closed her eyes and felt the wind caressing her face. In her entire life she had never felt so free and light, and she felt as if nothing else in the world mattered. Suddenly Rose understood why so many people thrived off the feeling of being high in the air with nothing but the world surrounding you. It felt different… unproblematic.

Scorpius flew them around for a full half hour, and Rose frowned slightly when he began lowering them, and he laughed. "It's already eight, love," he said, highly amused.

When they landed, Rose slowly got off, her legs wobbly and not use to feeling the effects of gravity on them. Scorpius swiftly dropped his broom and reached out to catch Rose by the waist when she started tumbling over. "Whoops," she said innocently, her eyes wide and excited as she looked up to Scorpius. "Thank you so much," Rose said quietly to the man holding her, never having been as glad to have agreed to anything in her life.

"Can we do that again?" A deep, honeyed laugh left Scorpius when Rose asked him for another ride, and he kissed her forehead as he promised her he would take her back up very soon. They clasped hands as they walked back to the castle, both of them feeling as if they were walking on cloud nine.

The blonde man wore a smirk when they arrived to Rose's portrait, as his mind took him back to the first time he had escorted her to her dorm. "Wasn't so bad, was it?" Rose blushed when Scorpius boasted, admitting she was wrong with admirable honesty. "You did amazing," Scorpius admitted.

"Thank you, it was truly wonderful, Scorpius." Taking a step forward, Rose kissed him goodnight, trying to forge the taste of his lips into her mind forever. "I'll see you tomorrow morning," she asked, and beamed up at him when he nodded. "I love you," her soft voice said to him, making his throb with joy.

Bending down he, yet again, pressed a kiss to her forehead as his hands cradled her head. "I love you," Scorpius replied, watching as she disappeared behind her door. The wizard whistled as he made his way back to his dorm, feeling as if he were in a dream he hoped would never end.


	44. Chapter 44

"...So in a situation like this, can someone please tell me which spell you would use to free yourself?" Professor Blackband stood in the front of his seventh-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class, his arms crossed over his chest as he tweaked an eyebrow at the students. After a moment of realizing no one else was going to answer, Rose Weasley rose her hand slowly, not particularly confident as it was her worst subject.

Otto Blackband gave his shy student an encouraging grin when he saw her raising her hand from the back of the class, where she had recently moved to sit at a desk with Scorpius Malfoy. "Thank you, Miss Weasley," he said, not surprised in the least she was the only willing student of his.

Rose cleared her throat, blushing when several pairs of eyes looked back to her. "In a situation like that, I think I would use the Confundus Charm." Rose felt Scorpius stiffen slightly in his seat beside her when they heard a student close to them scoff at her answer, though he didn't do or say anything, much to her uppermost relief. The wizard smirked when Professor Blackband glared at Alania Barber, who was the one who made the offending noise, and told her he wanted to speak to her after class. The Hufflepuff girl frowned deeply, though she said nothing as she crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes, something Otto ignored.

"Although that is a fine spell to use, Miss Weasley, I do believe it wouldn't have a long enough effect on your target as you would need. I would suggest using either a Stunning Spell or the Conjunctivitis Curse. Both of those will allow a timely distraction for you to escape and protect yourself from any other attackers." The professor went on to list several other spells in which would help, and it seemed most of the students only paid half attention to his words.

Scorpius held back from chuckling when he looked at Rose and saw her fervently taking notes, knowing well she was the only one in the class. The small witch didn't notice when Scorpius scooted his chair closer to her so they were almost touching, she did, however, notice when his warm hand landed on her bare knee. Rose looked to him when she felt his touch on her leg, feeling her stomach do flips when she saw a dark and mischievous look in his grey eyes. Though the man looked away after a quick wink, his eyes staring straight ahead at the lecturing professor.

Rose huffed quietly, ignoring his hand as she returned back to taking notes. The wizard went several long minutes without moving his hands, smirking when he heard Rose suck in a breath as he slowly rubbed his fingers back and forth on her knee. The witch turned to him and gave him a hard look, hoping it was reprimanding, but Scorpius only found it endearing.

For the next five minutes the blonde man gently rubbed his fingers along her knee, feeling her incredibly soft golden skin. Rose found it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything the professor said with his rough hand rubbing against her smooth skin. Rose sniffed quietly as she moved to dip her quill in her ink pot, but only succeeded in knocking it over when she felt Scorpius' touch suddenly sneak up her leg to her mid thigh.

Scorpius wore a large grin as he watched Rose's ink spill all over the table and used his left hand, his wand hand and the one not on her leg, to clean up the mess in a second. Rose watched as the dark ink trailed back into the pot, her eyes big as she looked to Scorpius and whispered in an appalled tone. "What are you doing," Rose asked, as if he had never touched her before. Her distress only heightened when Scorpius simply winked at her and brought up his free hand to his lips and motioned for her to stay quiet.

Blue eyes looked over Scorpius for a long moment, and Rose huffed loudly as she turned back to the front of the room, though she didn't take any notes. The Ravenclaw seemed content when Scorpius didn't move his hand for a long moment, leaving it half under the edge of her skirt. Rose, however, didn't make a fuss when Scorpius moved his hand up higher some time later, seemingly impressing Scorpius. His hand pushed at her leg that sat crossed over her other, until she dropped it down so they were spread in the slightest. The witch felt her center pulse as her stomach ached for pleasure, wetting her knickers until they felt hot against her.

A pale hand traveled up, disappearing completely under Rose's uniform skirt. White teeth came out and bit into a soft pink lip, and Scorpius knew she was struggling to keep quiet. The Slytherin was aware that what he was doing was risky, but he didn't care, he felt he _needed_ to touch Rose. Besides, they sat in the very last desk in the room, and no one would be able to see his hand unless they came behind them and looked in Rose's lap.

Scorpius slowly stroked his hand in circle on her creamy thigh, just an inch away from where her knickers were. His pale hand crept up that last inch, feeling along the edge of her knickers until he pressed directly against her covered center. Rose gasped out loud when his touch was suddenly touching her in the place that had been throbbing for his pressure for the past half hour.

A devious smirk wound up Scorpius' face when he felt just how utterly soaked Rose's knickers were. He loved more than anything that he has such an effect on her. His hand moved so two of his long fingers stroked up and down her slit, as his palm rubbed against her little button. Rose brought a fist up to her mouth and bit down on it to keep from scream out, nearly breaking skin as she bit so hard. Skilled fingers worked, pushing apart her lips under her knickers, and rubbing up until he reached her clit.

Rose felt as if she was on the brink of insanity, with his hand doing wonderfully sinful things to her right in the middle of DADA class. Just then Professor Blackband looked back to the couple, seeing Rose with flushed cheeks and a look of frustration mixed with pleasure written all over on her face. He looked to Scorpius he found him smirking, and when the man made eye contact with him, the older wizard did nothing but send him an impressed look.

A familiar sensation of fire was building up inside the pit of Rose's stomach, and with every touch from Scorpius she felt herself being pushed further to the edge, with nothing to do about it. Pleasure coursed through her, sending delicious sparks between her legs, and Rose was forced to close her eyes as her breathing got faster.

The witch knew she would be thrown over the edge with a couple more incredible strokes over her clit from Scorpius, when the bell rang out loudly. Rose's eyes went huge as Scorpius stroked her one last time before pulling his hand from beneath her skirt, smirking hugely as he stood and began packing up not only his things, but hers too. Rose simply sat in her chair for a long minute, not believe what had just happened, with a needy pulse still aching between her legs.

"You alright there, doll," Scorpius asked in a false kind voice. Rose looked to him and found him grinning ear to ear, looking to her with an undeniably lustful look in his eyes. The witch stood from her chair, noticing everyone else had left the classroom at that point, aside from Alania Barber.

Rose stood on her toes and placed her hands on his chest as she brought her face up to his. "You're a right devil, I hope you know." Scorpius barked out a loud laugh, wrapping his arm around Rose's waist as he turned her around and led her out of the class, receiving a sly wink from his Head of House as they passed by.

* * *

Dark waves of hair cascaded down her back, shining in the light as Rose tossed her head back and laughed loudly. Several pairs of eyes were drawn to the girl after hearing the pretty noise, all of which couldn't help but smile when they saw the giggling girl, admiring her beauty. But one set of eyes were glued to her, truly captivated by the light and joy radiating from the witch. Scorpius smirked as he watched Rose hysterically laugh, a smile on his own face when he heard a small snort escape her, chuckling when she covered her mouth with her hand in the hopes of quieting herself.

Hugo Weasley sat across from the couple, a proud look on his face as he was the one who had cracked the hysterical joke. Rose laid her head on Scorpius' shoulder as she tried to calm herself, her cheeks tinted pink from laughing so hard with her dimple on display. "Oh my," the witch said lightly when she had finally caught her breath, looking to her other side to see Albus with an amused look on his face. The dark haired man rolled his eyes when Rose poked his side with her elbow, though he had a smirk on his face.

Just then the morning deliveries came in, and dozens of owls were flying high above. A beautiful eagle soared down, resting on the Gryffindor table just in front of Scorpius, dropping the morning paper down with a hoot. "Oh," Lily said from her spot across from Scorpius. "He's so handsome," the redhead complimented to the blonde man with an awe struck look. "Can I pet him," the fifth-year asked, and when Scorpius nodded, she asked for his name.

"Shel," the Slytherin supplied, noticing the strange look Rose gave him. "What? I was only two when I got him," he defended himself, winking at Rose before he looked back to Lily and encouraged her to pet him. "Go on, he won't bite." Ignoring her brother's harsh glare, the girl reached out and stroked her fingertips over the feathers of the amazingly well behaved and good looking bird.

Her brown eyes grew in size when she felt just how soft the feathers of the owl were, never having felt such a well groomed owl. "He's so soft," Lily exclaimed as she continued to stroke him. Rose and Scorpius wore similar smirks when a minute later, Hugo reached out and pet the bird too, unable to hold back his curiosity.

Scorpius watched the two cousins as they stroked, telling them about his breed and how he was suppose to be the most well mannered bird. Rose smile as she watched her boyfriend interact with her family, reaching and grabbing his morning newspaper from in front of him. The witch opened up to the front page of the _Daily Prophet,_ holding her breath as she read the big black letter screaming at her from the top of the page.

' _The Death Master Strikes Again.'_ Rose felt her stomach churn when she read the title, her heart thumping in her chest. Her blue eyes flashed as they moved down to the article. ' _Yesterday, April the 2nd, news of an outbreak of seven separate murders were released by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic. I was able to talk to Harry Potter, the Assistant Minister of Magic and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Ron Weasley, Head of the Auror Office and Chief in leading. After a short conversation with the two wizards, I found out both men believe the 'Death Master' is behind the murders.'_

' _On April 1st, the seventh consecutive body was found after being brutally murdered without the works of the Killing Curse. Mister Weasley believes all of the deaths to be linked together, as each of the victims were killed in similar ways, and all were found in a pool of their own blood with hundreds of rose petals spread around them. Neither Mister Potter nor Mister Weasley are sure what the significance of the flower petals are, but they have their best Aurors working on the case. Both wizards promised that a stop will be put to these vile acts, and the perpetrator will be found and put in Azkaban, before another soul in harmed.'_

' _It is unsure as to why the Death Master is choosing now to strike again, as he hasn't been seen since 2013, ten years ago. This wizard working is a powerful man, who has successfully been able to cover up his tracks for years…'_ Rose stopped reading then, unable to see any of the words as her eyes had filled with tears. With a shaking grip she dropped the paper back onto the table, a hand coming up to cover her mouth as she unsuccessfully tried to suppress a sob.

Scorpius was the first to hear her sad noise, and he instantly dropped his conversation with Lily and Hugo to look over and find his girlfriend a broken mess. "Rosie," he said in a urgent voice, turning in his seat to place his hands on her shoulders. Scorpius gently shook her when she didn't respond, and when she did nothing he moved his hands up to her face and turned her so she was looking to him.

Hugo, Lily, and Albus, along with a few surrounding Gryffindors were all now looking at Rose. "Love, what's wrong," Scorpius asked frantically, finally getting to Rose as she gasped and allowed a tear to fall. "What happened," he asked, but Rose didn't say anything as she let out another cry and suddenly wrapped her arms around him and put her head in the crook of his neck. Her three family members watched her with concerned eyes, and Albus grabbed the paper from Scorpius and quickly read, going stiff immediately.

The black haired man threw the paper down on the table a second later when he was done reading, motioning to Scorpius for him to follow him outside. The blonde man nodded as he whispered in Rose's ear that they had to leave, watching Albus grab her bag as everyone's eyes were suddenly on her. Scorpius kept his arms around Rose protectively as he swiftly followed Albus out of the hall and away from all of the curious and rude glances.

Albus lead them down a few corridors, until they were away from all of the noise and voices. "What's going on," Scorpius asked, and he rubbed her back as Rose sniffed into his neck when Albus told the man what he had read. The blonde man was still confused as to why Rose had gotten so shaken up about the news. He knew she was a caring person, but he didn't think she would get so upset about a random strangers deaths.

"The flower petals," Rose stuttered out quietly as she continued to cling onto Scorpius and cry into his neck. "It's _him_ ," she said, and sudden realization settled into the pit of Scorpius. Albus watched the man's eyes darkened as he held Rose even tighter to him, as if holding her would simply make all the bad happenings go away.

Scorpius allowed Rose to cry for a minute, but soon he pulled away from her slightly and grabbed her chin in his big hand. "Rose, look at me," he demanded in a soft voice, causing Rose to open her eyes and look up to the man. "He will not get to you," Scorpius said in a strong tone. "I've promised you a hundred times before that I will protect you, and that promise stays true. That man will never come near you again. The Aurors are going to catch him and throw him in Azkaban to rot, where he deserves to be. Little lamb, you are safe here, you don't need to worry."

Rose nodded up at him, and Scorpius bent to press to press a kiss to her forehead, as he was very aware Albus was still watching them. The short witch moved back and hugged Scorpius, breathing in his spicy scent to calm herself.

In that moment, Albus realized how much Scorpius really did care for Rose. And no matter how bad his family was, the wizard in front of him truly was a good man. Albus was glad Rose had someone like him, and he knew Scorpius would keep his word and protect her until his dying day.

A minute later Professor Longbottom showed up, slightly out of breath with a highly anxious look on his face. "There you three are," he sighed, looking at the strange trio. The man walked up to the couple, and Scorpius pulled back slightly so the older wizard could talk to his witch. "Rose," Neville said in his kind and warm voice, causing the witch to look to him with a shy smile. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Rose tried to convince, though she did a terrible job. Her voice was still watery and she looked as if she still wanted to cry.

The man nodded, his eyes looking back and forth from Scorpius to Albus. "Very well, but I would still like to escort you down to the Hospital Wing so Madame Strout can take a look at you."

Rose opened her mouth to protest, but Scorpius quickly spoke up. "Come on, love." The three simple words seemed to convince Rose, and she allowed herself to be walked down to the infirmary by the three men, much to Neville and Albus' surprise.

Madame Strout was shocked to see her own student walk into her infirmary, only having worked on the girl a couple times when she was younger due to her clumsiness. Professor Longbottom quickly and quietly informed the Healer of what happened, and the witch smiled kindly at the young girl, knowing how foolish she likely felt. "Oh, well come then, dearie. A few simple potions will do the job."

A half an hour later Rose had taken a Calming Draught along with a Sleeping Draught and a Dreamless Sleep Potion, and the witch laid fast asleep on one of the Hospital Wing beds. Professor Longbottom thanked Madame Strout as he made his leave, looking to the peacefully sleeping girl with the over protective wizards sitting in the chairs next to her.

Albus sat on the other side of the bed, but an hour later he left, promising he would be back when she woke up. Scorpius stayed there the entire three hours she slept, his hand stroking hers as he watched her sleep, making sure no harm came to his most prized possession.


	45. Chapter 45

I'm glad you all liked last chapter, and don't worry, that ' _him_ ' isn't going anywhere. Anyways, here is the next. Please leave me any reviews you have, and thanks again. Enjoy.

* * *

A sweet, light humming seeped through closed pink lips, although it was overpowered from all the surrounding noise. Rose stood in the high tower of the Owlery, looking out a window as several birds fought over her attention. The girl smiled as her hand stroked the feathers of her and Hugo's owl, Dublin, laughing lightly when the bird hooted at her singing. Rose finally handed the owl her letters; one to her parents, one to Teddy, one to Andromeda, and one to her Uncle Charlie. Dublin gently nipped her finger adoringly one last time before flying off into the distance.

Rose took in a deep breath and appreciated the fact that spring had finally sprung and the warm weather was well in effect. Though, with that thought came a slightly more intimidating one. Easter break was only four days away, then all of the students would go home, and Scorpius and Rose would be meeting each other's significant family members. Rose was slightly nervous for all of it; how her family would react to Scorpius, whether Scorpius' grandparents would like her or not, what would happen at the Easter dinner Scorpius had invited her to.

The witch was worrying her bottom lip and staring out the window, just about to leave the tower, when she heard a voice from behind her. "Now, something's wrong here." Rose turned and found Scorpius leaning against the doorframe to the Owlery, his arms crossed over his toned chest in a casual manner. "The birthday girl isn't wearing a smile," he finished with a grin, loving how Rose blushed. "That simply won't do."

It was April tenth, which just so happened to be Rose's seventeenth birthday, and Scorpius planned one making it one of the best she ever had. The tall man sat up from his spot, slowly making his way over to Rose with a smirk on his face. His pale hands reached out when their chests were pressed together, grabbing her face in his hands as he stared deep into her beautiful eyes. "Happy Birthday, Rosie," Scorpius said an inch away from her face, kissing her on the cheek.

Rose let out a laugh as he continued peppering kissing all over her face, everywhere but the place she wanted him to go. Finally, only after kisses _every_ single spot on her face, Scorpius dropped down and bent his head to her lips. Rose snuck her hands between their bodies, laying them flat over his hard chest, enjoying how she could feel his heartbeat quicken under her gentle touch.

Scorpius wished he could kiss Rose for ages, but sadly the smell of bird droppings and the noise of the hooting owls was slightly ruining the mood. "Goddamnit," Scorpius swore against Rose's lips, causing her to break and throw her head back as she laughed. "That's better," Scorpius said sincerely when Rose looked back to him with a huge grin, moving his hand over on her face to stroke his fingers over her smooth, irresistible lips.

"So, Rose, how does it feel to _finally_ be a legal adult," Scorpius asked cheekily, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the tower. Rose elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a mean glare. "Well, if you ask me, it feels fantastic to date someone who is no longer as old as a fifth-year." The brunette looked to him with an appalled expression, but it only turned into her fighting a smile when she saw the goofy look on Scorpius' face.

Rose tried to fight off the laughter, but she found it nearly impossible. "Don't be rude," the witch said through giggles, tilting her chin up and walking ahead of him, in the way she had seen Andromeda do a time or two when someone did something she rather didn't like.

The Slytherin grinned as he hung back a moment and watched Rose's backside sway sexily, the grey dress she wore hugging her hips and showing off her skinny, tan legs. After a moment of appreciating the sensational view, Scorpius ran forward a step, swinging his arm around her shoulder as he hugged her to his side, and kissed the top of her head quickly. "Oh, you know I'm only kidding." Rose gave him a hard look for a second, before giggling and snuggling into his side as they walked on. "Besides, there is no time to be angry today, only time to celebrate."

"Come on," Scorpius said excitedly when Rose made a turn to go toward her dorm. "I think it's present time." The little witch instantly blushed, telling him he didn't have to get her anything, though Scorpius only scoffed. "Please," the blonde said, highly unimpressed, "I adore spoiling you, doll."

The couple made their way down into the dungeons, and Rose was surprised when a few times she was stopped by random students who wished her a happy birthday. When they walked into the common room, Rose was startled to find a large number of Slytherins, though in their defense it was a Sunday. The witch still received a few good mean glances as she was led through the crowd, but it seemed the majority of the students no longer cared about her, which pleased Rose immensely.

When they walked into Scorpius' room, they found Luciano and Quinn both lounging on their beds, seeming to have been lazily discussing something. Both men sat up when they heard the door open, and though Quinn smiled friendly at Rose, his smirk didn't quite match the excitement that Luciano's held. "Ah, it's the birthday girl," the Italian man yelled loudly, jumping up from his bed and running toward Rose.

The poor Ravenclaw didn't have a moment to think as she was suddenly picked up and tossed in the air, as if she was a ragdoll. Rose half squealed and half laughed when she found herself upside down and held over Luciano's shoulder, being proudly presented to the room. And for the second time in ten minutes, Scorpius got a _fantastic_ view of Rose perky and supple bum. "Put her down, you prick," Scorpius laughed out after a second, helping steady Rose when she was set back on her own two feet.

"Happy Birthday," Luciano and Quinn managed to somehow say at the exact same moment, seeming to surprise and slightly shock to two of them. Rose and Scorpius laughed at the pair of faces, as the wizard pulled his witch close to his side with his arm around her waist.

The pretty girl had an even prettier smile on her face, as she thanked them both in her sweet voice. Quinn then stood from his bed, walking over to the couple and nudging his mate on the shoulder. "We'll give you two some space," he said kindly, his mismatched eyes devious.

Rose's own eyes grew and she tried to protest, but she was cut off by a saucy looking brunette man. "Oh, it's fine. I'm sure you're more than eager to get to your gift, ay Rosie?" The Ravenclaw blushed a deep color at Quinn's suggestive words, and the chuckling pair quickly left when Scorpius began glaring at them.

"Pricks," Scorpius mumbled under his breath as he grabbed Rose's hand and led her over to sit on his bed. The small witch giggled at his words and smiled in excitement when Scorpius asked for her to shut her eyes. The blonde man then went over and grabbed the present he had bought for this occasion over a month ago, and walked back over to place it in her lap. Scorpius grinned as he told her to open her eyes again, anxious to see her reaction.

Blue eyes reopened, and then instantly looked down to her lap. Rose gasped loudly and brought a hand up to her face when she saw what was in front of her. A small hand reached down to carefully stroke the edge of the top book, reading the title ' _Mansfield Park'_. There, sitting on her legs, was six of Jane Austen's most popular novels, all of which were first editions. "Oh my…" Rose whispered as she admired each of the books. She recalled some time ago telling Scorpius that Jane Austen was one of her favorite muggle authors, but she was highly impressed he had remembered.

"Scorpius," the witch sighed out, looking up to her boyfriend with a look of admiration and awe in her eyes. Rose was well aware how incredibly expensive the whole of the novels must have been, not to mention how hard to find. "This is too much," Rose instituted, but the wizard would have none of it.

Scorpius shrugged his shoulders with a smirk, "well that's too bad, they were non refundable." The wizard stepped forward and made a move to grab the stack of books, "I suppose we'll just have to throw them out." Scorpius laughed deeply when Rose jumped away from him, protectively hugging her gift to her chest.

"No way!" Rose said loudly, smiling back at Scorpius when he cracked a grin and chuckled at her. The witch moved and carefully put the books on his nightstand, then shuffled on his bed over to where Scorpius stood near the edge. "Thank you so much," Rose said as she stretched up and kissed him on the cheek.

The wizard upped her face in his bear-like hands, returning a kiss to her forehead. "You are more than welcome, love." Rose blushed at the affection pet name, she would admit she felt dozens of butterflies flutter in her stomach when she heard the word. "Come on, your other gift is awaiting."

Rose looked at Scorpius with a frown, not wanting him to waste all his money on her. "Oh, don't give me that," the man said when he saw her pout, "I live to indulge you in all of your needs." The witch simply rolled her eyes and allowed him to take her hand in his and lead her. Rose was slightly shocked when Scorpius brought her to the room where they had shared their first kiss, _their_ room.

Neither of them had been to the room in weeks, but when they entered, Rose was shocked as to what greeted her eyes. The room had all of the curtains drawn over the windows, but there were hundreds and hundreds of lit candles hovering high in the room, giving it a beautiful firey glow. Most of the furniture was pushed aside, and in the center of the room there was a huge fluffy blanket laid out, which looked highly comfy and inviting. But the thing that made Rose's breath catch in her throat, was the dozens of crystal vases spread out around the room, with bouquet of stunning flowers in them.

With tears lingering in her eyes, Rose looked to the man who stood next to her, watching her. "You're unbelievable," Rose admitted softly, stepping into him as she threw her arms around his next and brought her lips to his with an incredible passion. Scorpius grabbed his witch's waist and kissed her back with intensity to challenge, moving his hand grope her bottom and pull her close as his other hand snaked around her waist.

When they pulled back Rose was flushed head to toe, and she could even see the lightest of blush on Scorpius' fair skin. "I love you so much," Rose said with her forehead pressed against his, as their breath fell into each others mouth.

"And I love you more," the man said, pecking her on the lips quickly. Two large hands grabbed a tiny waist and spun it around so Rose faced the room, gently pushing her forward. Rose walked up to the blanket, and slowly knelt down on it, motioning Scorpius down to follow her. "Your favorite," the wizard satiated with a smirked as he popped open the top of a bottle of champagne, causing Rose to blush. "And this time it isn't illegal."

After pouring them both a glass, Rose brought the bubbling drink up to her mouth, and held back a moan as she felt the sparkling delicious taste fill her entire body. This time the witch knew her limits, and Scorpius chuckled when he noticed her taking tiny sips. Looking past him, Rose spotted the piano that sat nicely in the corner of the room where Scorpius had pushed it. Returning her eyes to him, she giggled when Scorpius gave her a hard glance and shook his head when he saw the pleading look in her eyes. "Please," Rose said simply, but he only shook his head again. "Oh please, it's my birthday after all."

Scorpius sighed as he drank in the sight of the gorgeous witch, downing the rest of his drink in one last gulp as he stood and walked over the huge instrument. Rose smiled as she watched him sit on the bench and pull the lid up, as he lightly stoked his fingers over the familiar keys. A soft melody suddenly rang from the piano, filling the silent air with skilled music.

Rose slowly laid herself back on the blanket, closing her eyes with a smile on her face as she listened to the tune he played. Scorpius worked the piano with a talent that only came with years of practice, and Rose could hear it in the music. The man played several songs, and the witch soon became completely lost in it, almost feeling as if she was being bullied into a deep slumber.

When the music stopped, Rose didn't notice, she also didn't hear the quiet footsteps that came closer to her. However, she did notice when she suddenly felt a hard body pressing into hers. Rose's eyes flew open and she sucked in a breath, finding Scorpius hovering above her, with his face inches from hers. "That was beautiful-"

Her complementive words were cut off when Scorpius spoke softly. "You're beautiful," he said, and the two of them stared deep into each other's eyes. The pair could hear as a harsh rain began to pour outside when it thrashed against the glass windows, but it only seemed to make them want to be closer. Rose reached up and brought both of her hands to his face, cradling it as she breathed loudly and hard. "Say you're mine," Scorpius demanded in a voice that caused Rose to nearly melt in a puddle.

One of her hands stroked through his light hair as she took in each and every feature on his aristocratic, pale sculpted face. "I'm all yours," Rose's pretty voice said softly, causing a look of darkness to flash across Scorpius' eyes. Not able to hold back any longer, Rose used the hand behind his head to pull him down to her and attached his lips to her own.

Scorpius snuck one of his hands under her back and pulled her close to him, with his other hand next to her head to hold him up. Their lips kissed each other slowly, not in a rush, and their hearts pressed against each other as they beat together. Scorpius could taste chocolate in her mouth and knew she probably ate some earlier, and though the man didn't like the sweet food, he loved the state of it on her tongue.

Rose's moan vibrated into Scorpius' mouth when his free had trailed up her side and held her waist, his thumb barely stroking the bottom of her breast. The man continued gently touching for several minutes as they snogged each other, and Rose only become more frustrated as time went on.

So, with a strength neither of them knew Rose had in her, the small witch pushed Scorpius until they were flipped in position. The man pulled back and smirked when he was laying flat on his back, with his witch straddling his lower chest, almost groaning when he noticed how her dress had hiked up and was now showing him an ample amount of her soft tan legs, only an inch away from revealing her knickers. "Better," Rose nodded approvingly, when she had full control over Scorpius. The girl leaned down again and reunited her lips with his, feeling as if she was addicted to the feel of him kissing her.

Rose was thrilled when she noticed that his hands were still in the same spot just below her breasts, and shocked Scorpius when she brought her hand up to his and pulled it up the remaining inch. The wizard moaned loud into the kiss when he felt himself holding a handful of Rose's delicious, soft breasts. Rose felt an almost painfully erotic feeling shoot down through her stomach, and instantly soak her kickers which were pressed against his shirt, just above his belt.

Scorpius gasped at the amazing feeling of Rose's breast in his hand, along with the feel of her wet center pressed against him, knowing there was nothing to do when his pants grew tight as he began to harden. The witch felt herself die when Scorpius moved his hand and begun expertly massaging her breast in a way that instantly made her nipples harden and press through her bra. Scorpius felt like he was in heaven as he kissed his witch as her hands stroked up and down his chest.

A sharp cry left Rose when she moved down to pull the end of Scorpius' shirt from his pants, and ended up rubbing her hot center against his hard crotch. The witch felt an electric pleasure shoot from her clit to her stomach. Scorpius bit his own lip to keep from repeating her sound, as his other hand moved up to join his first and began massaging both breasts, driving Rose insane.

Rose snuck her small hands under his shirt, and felt the hard ridges of his hot chest. Butterflies jumped in her stomach when she felt the little patch of hair that led into his pants, as she went up and felt the muscles of his stomach. And even when she bent back down and tried to distract herself, she could still feel a painful throb at her center, begging for her to move back against his pants. Tentatively, the witch moved every so slightly against his trousers, and felt the same hard bulge pressed against her.

Though she knew what was under them, Rose couldn't help but pull back from the kiss and stare down at his pants. The size of the bulge shocked the witch, and her breathing fastened when she could feel Scorpius looking at her as she looked at _him_. She had never thought about Scorpius' penis, but now that she was, she supposed she should have expected him to be exponentially large as the rest of him was… though the size still slightly shocked her.

Scorpius knew he had never seen anything as erotic as he watched Rose look at his clothed cock for the first time, finding the look of curiosity on her face adorable. They both breathed heavily, and the sound of their hearts beating filled the comfortable silence of the room. The man dropped his hands to her waist, not wishing to distract the scholar witch as she discovered the new piece of anatomy.

Her hand slightly shook as Rose lifted it and reached towards his shaft, though she frozen when she was inches away. Her innocent, big blue eyes looked up to Scorpius, asking for permission. "Go ahead, just be gentle," Scorpius' deep voice said to her, and she swallowed as she looked back down to the growing organ. She pushed her hand forward the remaining distance, and allowed just her fingertips to barely graze the front of his pants. Scorpius bit back a loud moan, wanting nothing more than for her to never stop. "Don't be afraid," he instructed, and Rose nodded, knowing there was nothing to fear with Scorpius.

The wizard nearly lost his marbles when Rose firmly pressed her hand down and carefully cupped his trousers covered cock. The witch gasped at the same moment Scorpius did, though hers was from interest, as his penis was much harder than she had expected it to be. "Is it always this firm," Rose blurted out, and turned bright red when she realized she sounded and felt like a first-year. Though Scorpius thought she was endearing.

The man shook his head from his place laying down, his voice low and crackling when he spoke next. "Only when I have an erection," he told her, and she bite her lip as she nodded and allowed her fingers to gently squeeze, nearly sending Scorpius over the edge as she shot sparks of pleasure to the pit of his stomach.

"Does it hurt to have an… erection." Rose stumbled over and whispered the naughty word, feeling her entire body heat up as she said it and looked to Scorpius. The wizard couldn't believe what was happening; an incredibly stunning witch was posed in his lap, with her hand covering his crotch as she asked questions about it.

Rose stopped moving her hand when Scorpius sucked in a breath as she pressed just a little bit harder, scared she had hurt him or done something wrong. "Not so much hurt, more of an uncomfortable feeling." The witch continued to chew on her bottom lip, and Scorpius thought she was the most gorgeous witch as the candle light lit up her face.

Her small hand hardly covered any of the large bulge, and for a moment she wondered what it would feel like to have him _inside_ of her. Though the thought caused her center to pulse again and feign for release. "And you fix the uncomfortableness with sex?" Scorpius loved how innocent and pure Rose was, finding his desire for her only heightening.

"That is one method but there's several other ways to relieve it without having sex. You could use a hand, or a mouth sometimes." Rose nodded yet again, and continued to lightly massage her hand tentatively over him, wanting to understand him completely. Scorpius closed his eyes and moaned when Rose pressed up against him in a certain way, and he moved his hand down to grab her wrist. "We should stop," Scorpius said, feeling awful when he saw the frown form on her face. "If we don't end it now, I'll end up spilling in my pants, and that will just be one huge and embarrassing mess."

Rose giggled at his words, nodding as she pulled her back and leaned down to kiss him one last time before moving off of him. The witch scooted so she was laying next to him, with her head on his chest and his arm around her waist.

The couple talked for hours, about useless things and interesting things, and a hour later, when they both had cooled down, Scorpius surprised Rose with a huge chocolate cupcake. The witch's eyes lit up and she thanked the man, allowing him to fed bits of it to her as they giggled and shared secrets with each other.

They stayed like that for a long time, and as Rose laid there on the soft blanket and listened to Scorpius' heart beat while wrapped up in his arms, she knew he had given her the best birthday yet.


	46. Chapter 46

Here's a little drama for your day. I hope you all enjoy, and don't hesitate to leave me your reviews.

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Grey eyes were dark and cloudy like a sky before a rain storm. Pale skin was tinted the lightest shade of pink, as frustration filled the wizard at an incredible speed. Scorpius brought up a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, listening as Potter's annoying voice yell at him.

"We specifically booked the pitch for today at four! I don't know what the hell you're doing here." Albus angrily hollered at Scorpius even though they stood a foot apart, both dressed in their Quidditch uniforms. The Slytherin and Gryffindor teams stood behind their respective captains, nasty looks on their faces as they snarled at each other.

Malfoy felt his anger get the best of him, and he knew he would likely explode if he didn't get a good hand on himself. "Potter, for the millionth time, we scheduled the pitch for four o'clock today _months_ ago. I've had all of our practices booked since the end of last year... You know what, you should try that and maybe your team would have a chance at coming close to beating us. But I mean, that's just me being hopeful."

The Slytherin team laughed mockingly and smirked from their spot behind Scorpius, only urging the head strong Gryffindors on. Albus' eye twitched with rage, as no one was able to get so under his skin as Scorpius Malfoy was. The shorter dark haired man took a dangerous step closer and opened his mouth, just to be interrupted.

Professor Bathsheda Babbling was approaching the group of students at a fast pace, a decimated look on her face. "That's quite enough, boys," the Head of Ravenclaw said sternly when she stood right next to the two facing men. "What seems to be the problem here?"

Scorpius sighed as he felt a migraine coming on when Albus huffed his chest out and began to explain the dilemma, of course favoring himself in the explanation. Bathsheda rose an eyebrow as the listened to the boy, knowing he was obviously not telling the entire story. "Well," the older witch said after Potter had finished his lengthy clarification. "I only see one reasonable solution to this predicament; neither of you can use the pitch this afternoon."

Both teams of students bursted out with complaints, but the stern look on the woman's face told them that they could argue all day and still not get their way. "My word is final!" Professor Babbling yelled loudly over the complaining kids. "Now, all of you go and get on." The whining Quidditch players sulked as they turned and made their way back to the castle, muttering swears and insults to the other team as they went.

"Bloody fucking hell," Albus swore once the group of fourteen students were back in the corridors of the school. "Thanks for that, Malfoy," the man said loudly, causing Scorpius to roll his eyes, which in turn only pushed Albus on further. "This is all your fault."

Malfoy tried pushing past the boy, ignoring his words, but Albus knocked his shoulder with his, and stopped him. "What," Potter continued, the teams now crowding to watch, "not such a big man now, are you?" Scorpius said nothing as he stared down at Albus, his nostrils flaring as he held back his anger with an impressive restraint. "You're just like your father, you know that." Several students gasped when they heard the Gryffindor's words, all of them knowing his hit was mean and unfair.

And in a split second, Scorpius' self control snapped and his wrath exploded in his face. "What the fuck did you just say, Potter?" His voice was loud and powerful, causing most of the people around to shudder when they heard the venom in his voice.

But Albus Potter wasn't one to back down to a challenge… even when it is clear that he should. "You're weak and a liar and a cheater, just like your pathetic father." Several of the onlookers shook their head at the low blow, knowing that Albus was playing dirty.

Scorpius had his wand whipped out and pressed against Potter's throat so quick no one saw it until it was too late. The blonde man ignore Luciano when he spoke from behind him, urging him to calm down. "If you _ever_ speak of my father again, I will make sure it is the last thing you do." Fiery sparks shot out of his wand and left a hot scold across Albus' neck, causing the man to flinch back but Scorpius still held him in the dangerous position. The two men were unaware of everything going on around them, and that is probably why they didn't notice when a group of three suddenly turned a corridor to find them.

Rose, along with Robert and Elliot, were shocked when they entered the hall and found a large group of students huddled around two people. "What in the..." Rose's quiet question trailed off as she stood on her tippy toes to look over the tall shoulders of the crowd. Her curiosity crawled inside her when she noticed all of the bystanders dressed in red and green Quidditch uniforms.

On the other side of the wall of bodies, Scorpius seemed to finally lose his last piece of self authority. "Come on, mate," Luciano yelled at his friend, not wishing for a mess to unfold. Scorpius breathed loudly and hard, everyone holding their breath as they listened and watched him. Malfoy nodded as he placed his wand back in his pocket and tuned on the spot, causing Luciano to let out a sigh of relief. Though the man wished he could take his expression back when suddenly Scorpius turned back around fast and swung his tight fist hard into Albus' jaw.

The Gryffindor stumbled back a step as the force of Scorpius' punch pulsed through his face and caused stars to erupt under his eyelids. Albus had been punched before, but never had he been fully knocked in the face by an angry growing man.

Rose's brows furrowed when he heard a smacking noise and the crowd suddenly yelled. With Robert and Elliot by her side, she pushed through the crowd. "Excuse me," the witch yelled. A loud gasp escaped Rose when she finally saw what everyone was looking at. Blue eyes watched as Albus' fist connected with the side of Scorpius' head, and suddenly the two men were swinging at each other as a full fight erupted.

"Stop!" Rose screamed at the two men as she watched her beloved cousin and boyfriend pound on each others faces, wondering why everyone was just standing by and not helping. Neither of the men heard the witch's plea, only concentrating on beating the shit out of the other. "Stop," Rose tried louder, her voice now practically screaming.

When she realized they weren't paying attention, she decided she had to do something. Without thinking the small witch ran forward, managing to squeeze her tiny body between the two and face Albus, as she knew he was the more irrational one. But just when Rose opened her mouth to yell a him, her cousin rammed his huge fist extraordinarily hard into her petite nose.

A loud scream left Rose as she felt her nose get knocked to the side, and everyone heard as a sickening loud _crack_ sounded in the silent air. The witch collided with the ground, pushed down by the tremendous force of the punch, and she instantly curled into the fetal position, grabbing at her nose which she knew was broken. "What the fuck did you do," Scorpius yelled out Albus, as they both looked down to see an appallingly enormous amount of blood pouring out of Rose's nose and all over the place. Hugo and Lily gasped from their spot in the crowd, frozen to their place at the looked at their sister and cousin laying on the floor, just having had her face pounded by Albus.

Robert was suddenly kneeling on the floor beside Rose, as she listened to Scorpius and Albus begin to bicker again. Elliot wheeled himself forward as well, and wore a look of extreme concern on his face. Rose's head was pounding and her entire face felt as if it was on fire. Robert managed to gently help to girl sit up, and nearly gagged at the sight of how much blood was covering her face and down the front of her shirt.

With extreme assistance, Rose was able to stand on her two feet, though most of her weight was being held up by Robert. The petite witch was shocked when Albus and Scorpius only stopped fighting with each other when she was standing next to them. When both men reached forward, as if to help her themselves, she flinched back. "Merlin," Scorpius said when he saw the horrid state of his witch. Facing Potter he said, "look what you've done!"

Rose nearly collapsed in frustration when the two started yelling yet again. " _STOP IT!_ " The two men were silenced when Rose yelled loudly, surprising both of them. "Just stop it! What is wrong with the both of you? You're acting like foolish children," Rose said passionately, as blood spat from her mouth and continued to gush from her nose. "Get away from me," she hollered sternly when they both moved to touch her again.

Robert held her tight in his arms, and when the little witch started to sway on her feet, he knew he needed to get her help. The wizard bent down and grabbed her from behind the knees, easily hoisting her light weight up in his arms. Elliot turned and was by Rose's side as Robert carried her away from the crowd, both men immensely concerned for her, along with the everyone who had just saw what had happened.

"Rose," the witch heard someone call after her, but she ignored the voice as she held her burning nose and allowed herself to sob loudly as pain coursed through her.

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Hours later that night, the doors to the infirmary slowly creaked open, though no one was awake to hear the squeaking noise. An invisible body stealthily crept down the long room, stopping when they reached the only patient who was residing in the ward. Scorpius allowed his spell to wash off of him as he walked up to stand next to the stunning little witch that slept soundlessly in the hospital cot. During dinner that evening Scorpius had learned that Rose was staying the night in the infirmary, through the rumor mill that was Hogwarts.

A feeling of calmness settled into his gut when Scorpius found his girl curled up into a ball, the lightest snoring escaping her as she slept peacefully. However, a frown pulled at the pale man's lips as he bent down next to where she laid and looked at her face up close in the dark of the room. A huge dark purple and blue bruise covered the center of her lovely face, coloring under her eyes, accented by a hard white cast over the bridge of her nose. By just looking at the injury he could tell it had to have hurt like hell, especially since she hadn't been expecting the blow.

Rage filled Scorpius for the umpteenth time that day, and he wished for nothing more than to go and kill Albus for hurting his witch like he had. Both Albus and Scorpius had been forced to get patched up by the Head of their House, as it was deemed a horrid idea to let the two men in the same room together, and Scorpius knew he had done a grave amount of damage to the boy. No one had the right to ever lay a single finger on his Rosie, and it sickened Scorpius to think that her own cousin caused her so much pain. And though the wizard felt like running to the Gryffindor tower and killing the man, he knew he should be by Rose's side.

So as quietly as he could manage, Scorpius bent down and gently pressed a kiss to each of Rose's cheeks, and one on her forehead. The witch's eyes twitched in her sleep, and a tiny smile lifted her lips as the scent of Scorpius filled her nose. "Mm, Scorpius," Rose said, still fully unconscious. "I luff you," Scorpius felt his heart squeeze tight when the witch mumbled the incoherent words, and snuggled deeper into her blankets.

"I love you, doll," Scorpius whispered ever so silently in Rose's ear, grinning as she shivered when his lips brushed against her. The Slytherin smiled down at his beauty as he moved and pulled a chair right next to her bed and got comfortable in it. His eyes remained in the witch the entire night, and every couple or minutes or so, Scorpius reached forward and stroked Rose's cheek, unable to resist himself.

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Grey and green eyes fought with each other as they stared from across the way, a look of deep detestation in both pairs. The two wizards chatted with their friends and ate a hearty breakfast, though they never allowed their eyes contact to break. That was until a certain girl walked into the Great Hall.

Dozens of pairs of eyes looked to Rose as she entered breakfast half way through, with Robert and Elliot protectively by her sides. Everyone knew what had happened since the night before, and yet a loud murmur filled the hall as everyone saw the huge colored bruise that Rose bared. The witch instantly felt a discomfort with all the stares on her, and she regretted the moment when she allowed Elliot to convince her to go to breakfast.

Both of her friends glared at everyone as they walked down to their spot at the Ravenclaw table, using their eyes to threaten as they went. Rose let out a shaky sigh when she was finally seated, though she knew the worst of it was yet to come. Throughout breakfast the witch could feel the stares of Scorpius and Albus, and she wished they would let her be.

When the Ravenclaw trio left to go to class, both men stood and made a move for Rose, but the witch shot them down with a sad look and shake of her head. And though it killed both Scorpius and Albus, they respected the girl they loved, and didn't bother her.

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Rose unconsciously frowned in the slightest as she chewed on the end of her quill, tilting her head to the side as she reread the same sentence for the tenth time. "Ugh," the witch huffed out in frustration, grabbing the attention of her studying partner. Elliot looked up to see his mate with her eyes closed as she rubbed her temples and hung her head low. Her thin fingers came up and lightly skimmed over the bruised skin of her nose, feeling it itch incredibly.

"Itchy?" Elliot asked, and Rose reopened her eyes to look at him as she sighed and nodded. "Madame Strout said that would be a side effect to the _Essence of Dittany_ she put on your nose to regrow the skin that split. If you want I can go down and ask her for some numbing cream," the wizard suggested kindly.

A sweet smile fell on Rose's lips and she felt immensely grateful for her caring friend. "No, I'll be fine, but thank you." Rose was just about to ask him a question on the text she was reading when suddenly Elliot stiffened as he looked at something beyond her shoulder.

"Could I speak to her for a moment?" Rose didn't have to turn around to know who the husky voice belonged to.

Elliot looked to Rose instantly, "is that alright with you?" Rose took a deep breath and nodded, holding her quill tightly in her hand still. Her house mate nodded and gave her a encouraging look as he grabbed his bag and led his wheelchair away from the table.

Listening to the sound of his footsteps, Rose watched as Scorpius made his way around the table and sat in the chair across from her. Slightly afraid of her own reaction, Rose looked him in the eyes and couldn't help but feel some of her frustration towards him melt away when she saw the guilty look.

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said almost as soon as he was seated, not caring if he sounded pathetic or desperate in the least. "Rosie, I know what I did was wrong; I shouldn't have let my emotions get the best of me, and I shouldn't have fought with Potter. But I did… and I am very sorry."

Hearing the honesty in his voice and seeing how clearly upset he was, Rose was unable to stay angry with him for a moment longer. The witch sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day and allowed a small smile to crept up her lovely face, causing the dimple in her cheek to deepen. "I forgive you, Scorpius." The blonde man let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and smirked. "Hugo came and talked to me last night and he told me how Albus was the one to initiate the fight and push you. I know the disagreement wasn't your fault, but still what you did was wrong and childish."

"I know," Scorpius said the moment she was finished. "What I did was stupid and I can't tell you how sorry I am that you had to stop us. It's my fault you got hurt, I should have-"

Rose shook her head fervently, "it's not your fault, and you shouldn't think like that, anyways. What happened is done, and we cannot do anything about it." The blonde man nodded, still feeling that it was his fault for her pain. He wished he could simply go back in time and walk away from Potter and his loud mouth.

Scorpius nodded though, knowing that Rose felt strongly about what she said by the way she sat straight in her chair and tilted her chin up slightly. "Alright, but if there's anything I can do, just tell me."

A silly grin lifted Rose's face and she felt her cheeks heat up when she spoke to him next. "Well, there is one thing you can do." And when Scorpius lifted an eyebrow at her questioningly, she leaned to quietly answer him. "Kiss me." The wizard had never gotten out of a chair so fast as he did that moment, and a second later he was standing in front of Rose, between her chair and the table.

"Anything for my lovely," he said in a low voice when he leaned down and was inches away from her face. His big hands came up and cupped her face, as Scorpius bent lower to softly press his lips to hers, careful as not to bump his nose with hers. The couple kissed each other for a long savory moment, feeling like they were starved from just one night of being apart.

When Scorpius ended the kiss he only pulled back slightly, his hands continuing to cradle her pretty face. His gaze looked to her beaten nose, and she watched as his eyes tightened. But when Rose tried to pull back, thinking he thought the bruise was unsightly, he held her tightly and pressed a feather light kiss to the very tip of her button nose. "You're so beautiful," Scorpius said sternly, loving the way Rose blushed alluringly. "Why didn't Madame Strout heal you," the man asked, knowing from experience that the Healer could mend a bone in minutes and have someone back to new.

Rose sighed at his question, enjoying the way his warm fingertips rubbed softly over her bruised under eyes. "Well, normally when someone breaks their nose, there's a fracture in the bone that is the bridge of the nose. But it seems that not only does the bridge of my nose have a crack, but the cartilage in the center of my nose too." Scorpius nodded as he held back a smirk, enjoying the way she explained things in her 'healer's' voice.

"And Madame Strout thought it would be too risky to play with my nose too much, so she _Episkey_ -ed my nose and healed both fractures but she didn't want to apply _Bruise Removal Paste_ just yet because she didn't want to mess with the injury so early." The man nodded when Rose finished her explanation, still stroking her face with his hands.

The bruise already looked slightly better from the night before, but there was still a dark color to it. "Does it hurt?" Scorpius asked, and felt calmed when Rose promised him that it hardly bothered her. "I'm glad. I always knew you'd step in front of a swing for me," Scorpius said joking, causing Rose to giggle.

"Of course I would," the girl promised, "I'd do anything for you." Looking into her eyes, Scorpius could tell Rose was telling the whole truth. He knew felt the same way for her, feeling he had never loved anyone as much as his witch.


	47. Chapter 47

I'm glad you all liked the excitement of last chapter, but what do you all think... will Rose forgive Albus or will she stay cross with him? Leave me your ideas! Enjoy.

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Nathaniel Wood and Albus Potter chuckled to each other as they watched Velma Elswood angrily fuss as she stared at the backs of Zoee Higgs and Luciano Zabini, apparently seeming to have a problem with the couple as they talked and laughed from their seats in front of her. The pair of Gryffindors were completely unable to control their roars of laughter when the annoyed Slytherin fell off her stool as she glared at her housemate's backs.

The blonde turned around and scowled at the wizards who were chuckling loudly, though it only fueled their laughter on further. Their cackles settled down when Professor Bobbin walked in and gave her two rambunctious students a stern look, not liking how they were already causing trouble without the class even started.

A full minutes later the bell rang, just seconds after a couple stumbled into the class. "What," Albus cried out loudly when he spotted Rose holding the hand of Scorpius Malfoy, not caring that he now held the entire class's attention. It was had been three days since the fight, though the stubborn boy had yet to approach his cousin after breaking her nose. And so Albus was highly shocked when he saw his childhood best friend walking to her seat with a smile on her face with the other victim of the fight by her side.

"Mister Potter, could you please control yourself," Professor Bobbin said in a steely voice, looking at her student in a reprimanding manner. Albus fumed for a second, looking back to where the couple had sat themselves with a look of disbelief on his face, but eventually turned around and crossed his arms over his chest as he frowned deeply. "Thank you."

The woman walked to the front of the class and laced her hands together, waiting for her entire class' attention, which didn't take very long. "Today we will be continuing to work on our Alihotsy Draught. And remember; we will only be working on it for three more weeks, so you should all be approaching the mid point."

Her class went to work immediately after that, all the pairs at different stages of the potion, but no one held the progress that Rose and Scorpius had. The class passed quite quickly for most of the students, though for Albus he felt like the lesson was dragging on for ages. So when the bell finally rang the man quickly packed up his bag, however the he hung back and waited for the couple that always seemed to take an eternity to leave their classes.

The black haired man ignored the stern glare he received from Frank as him and Nate left the class, warning him not to do anything rash. Once Scorpius was in the corridor with Rose he immediately halted her, knowing Potter was lingering behind them. "You can come out now," Scorpius said loudly, confusing Rose until Albus turned the corner and revealed himself.

A frown instantly found Rose's mouth, and Albus felt strange when he realized it was directed towards him, thinking of how his cousin had never before been upset with him. The wizard felt immense guilt wash over him when he saw the fading bruise that covered Rose's nose, having had yet to see the intense injury up close.

The nights before Albus had tossed and turned as he slept, and even though Hugo had told him that Rose was fine, he couldn't help but worry about how he had hurt her. "You've forgiven him," the wizard said suddenly, gesturing to their clasped hands, flinching at his voice when he heard how it came out meaner than he had intended it to. "How is that-"

"He apologized to me," Rose cut him off and crossed her arms over her chest, practically able to perfectly predict what Albus was going to say, having known him for so long. "Scorpius found me and he admitted that his actions were wrong and he apologized. And I forgave him. He wasn't a child and he didn't hide from me."

Even though Rose was trying to be stern with her cousin, her voice was still sweet and light. Albus' face turned red when the witch called him out on his shameful actions, as he placed a hand on the back of his neck and rubbed it harshly. "Okay," the boy finally yelled out, not enjoying that Malfoy was there to witness him plead with his girlfriend.

"Rosie, I'm sorry for fighting with the prick, and I'm sorry for hitting you. I never meant to hurt you, you know I would never intentionally abuse you, and I'm just so sorry. I haven't been able to sleep knowing that I caused so much damage. Please, Rosie Rue, I just need you to tell me you're alright." Albus sighed as he finished his pathetic speech, feeling bothered that Scorpius had watched the entire thing, though he didn't really care as long as he got his Rose back.

The small witch sighed too, dropping her arms from the position crossed over her chest, as she took an unknown step forward. "I'm fine, it hardly even hurts anymore." The inky haired man let out a breath, his green eyes big and vulnerable. "But you just need to realize that you can't provoke people like that, and it certainly is not okay to fight with others. You could have done serious damage or gotten yourself into trouble."

Albus nodded his head furiously, just wanting nothing more than for things to go back to normal. "Okay, then. I forgive you, Al. But you have to do something for me." Her cousin nodded again, telling her he would anything. Taking another step forward she opened her arms and said, "hug me."

The wizard didn't waste a moment as he lunged forward and grabbed Rose in his arms, hugging her so tightly he lifted her feet off the ground. The witch giggled as he swung her side to side like a doll, embracing her with all he had. When Albus finally placed her feet back on the ground, he looked to her nose and frowned. "I'm so sorry, Rosie," the man admitted as he brought a had up to her face, though it just hovered an inch or two away.

"It's fine," Rose told him gently as she grabbed his hand out of the air and held it in her smaller one. "I know you didn't mean it." The wizard smiled hugely when Rose raised onto her tippy toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, smiling back at him.

Scorpius watched from his place a couple steps behind Rose. And although he would never admit to liking Albus Potter, he was extremely grateful that Rose and her idiotic cousin were back on good terms.

Green eyes peered over the girl's shoulder and found the tall wizard watching on. Albus sighed as he stepped to face Scorpius, without Rose in front of him, swallowing his pride as he spoke. "And I have to say sorry to you too, Malfoy. I shouldn't have said anything about your father... it was unfair of me."

The Slytherin could tell by the boy's tight voice and stiff stance that he clearly didn't want to be apologizing, but he words seemed honest, and Scorpius appreciated it. With nod, he spoke, "thank you. I also have to apologize on my behalf." Rose smiled from her spot, knowing that the two men would surely never get along, or even tolerate the other. But she was pleased beyond words that they could find some common ground and put their pasts aside for her.

* * *

"Well that's silly," Rose said precariously as she hung upside down over the side of her bed, reading the book she held in front of her face. It was the night before they went back home for the week of Easter break, and the couple was determined to spend it with each other.

Scorpius stood at one of the many bookshelves that had been put in for Rose, looking at the dozens of snow globes that the witch had, each one from her father from when he went a different place during his Auror training. The man's large, pale hand came up and grabbed one of the snow globes, shaking it and watching as glitter washed around the small object. "Maybe to you, but it's a solid tradition to the pureblood society. It wouldn't be a regular Easter party without the smashing of the plates."

The witch rolled back onto her bed, laying on her back as she placed her book down and sat up on her elbows. "So, what you're saying is that I should bring a plate with me just so I can smash it later on in the night." Rose was still having a hard time wrapping her head around the seemingly silly custom.

Blonde hair fell into Scorpius' face as he shook his head and picked up another snow globe to inspect. "No, no," he said as if it was obvious. "My mother had a field day picking out your plate. You see the men bring silver glass plates and the women gold ones, and she has never bought another witch a plate. So she was very excited when I told her you were coming."

Rose smiled as he spoke, "well that certainly was kind of her." Scorpius shrugged as he put the Polish snow globe back in it's carefully placed spot, making sure he didn't mess up Rose's perfectly organized line. "I'm looking forward to seeing her again, and your father too." And after a moment, "although I'm a bit frightened to meet your other family."

"Why's that," Scorpius asked lightly as his long legs led him over to her bed. The wizard stood at the end of it for a moment, taking in how glorious Rose looked all sprawled out in the center of her huge bed, as dirty thoughts of what she would look like naked filled his mind. Scorpius had imagined Rose undressed hundreds of times it seemed, and he held on for the day his fantasy would come true and he would be able to see her in all her beautiful glory.

Rose looked to him as if his question was one of the most obscure things she had ever heard. "Well for one, I'm a halfblood," the witch explained easily in her mellifluous voice. Scorpius simply nodded as he placed his hands on the bed on either side of her, smirking as he slowly crawled up her slim body. Rose felt the pit of her stomach drop when she saw the devious look on Scorpius' face as he pushed further up, keeping his face an inch above her body, though never touching her like she wanted him to.

"Uh, a-and our families don't have a good history." Her words came out in a slurred stutter as Scorpius finally reached her neck. The man placed his skillfully delicious lips on her neck and made a job out of sucking, licking, and kissing every spot of naked flesh he could find. Rose's hands were on either side of his face, holding him above her, and his hips were the only part of him touching her as they rested on her thighs. Her small hands slid down to Scorpius' back, clutching the material of his shirt and pulling him so he stayed close to her.

Rose's eyes fluttered shut and she took a deep breath as she tried to speak again. "And I-uh, I don't have, u-um…" But her words fully faded off into silence when Scorpius' lips traveled down her throat to the skin of her upper breast that was shown off by her v-neck dress. He latched his lips onto the silky skin at the top of one of her breasts, just where her bra laid. Scorpius sucked hard enough to leave a bruise on her, though his tongue licked the wound every few seconds to calm the skin. A long, breathy moan left Rose and she felt Scorpius' smirk against her skin as he continued to worship her.

Not only were her knickers now wet, but Rose's upper thighs were now slippery with her desire. Scorpius felt a rush go through him when he felt Rose clamp her thighs together and rub them against one another under his own legs, well aware that he had done that to her. "I-I, oh!" Rose exclaimed as she tried to talk again, causing her to finally let out a noise of frustration when she realized it was impossible.

"Merlin," Rose said loudly, as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. "I couldn't even recite the alphabet with you doing this." Scorpius grinned as he placed a soft kiss on her now marked breast and lifted himself up to her face.

The wizard bent down and kissed her on the mouth this time, not worrying as her nose was almost completely healed and didn't hurt in the least, as his lips tingled from his attack. "That's the point," Scorpius said with a grin, one of his hands coming up and stroking down the side of her face.

"Love, you have nothing to worry about. My entire family is thrilled to meet you, and I could care less about what they have to say about your blood status, that doesn't change anything. You need to stop working yourself up; I'll be by your side the whole time and nothing will happen." Big blue eyes looked into steel grey ones and Rose nodded, knowing well that she could trust him. "Besides, I'm meeting the _entire_ famous Weasley family and you don't see me stressing."

Rose rolled her eyes as her hands slid from his back to grab the side of his face, enjoying the texture of his blonde beard under her hands. "Please, we aren't famous," Rose said, even though they both knew it was a lie. "And you too have nothing to worry about, my father managed to convince everyone that you're lovely." The wizard looked at her with raised eyebrows, thinking out loud that he should thank Ron.

Scorpius' long blonde hair tickled Rose's forehead, and she laughed as she pulled the sides of his face down to her. The couple snogged thoroughly for the next twenty minutes, and by the time they pulled apart they both were gasping for air, wearing red lips. "I've got to go," Scorpius said breathlessly, yet neither of them wanted him to leave.

A chuckle escaped him when Rose only tightened her arms and shook her head as she bit her swollen lip. "Yes, I must. Besides, little-Miss-organization still hasn't packed and we're leaving in twelve hours." Scorpius pushed himself off of her and smirked when Rose sat up and frowned as he put his shoes back on.

"Can't you stay just a little longer," Rose pleaded as she sat on her knees and hugged one of her pillows to her middle. Scorpius saw the adorable frown she wore and almost jumped back into her bed to snog with her until the early hours of the morning, though he somehow found self restraint somewhere in him.

Shaking his head, Scorpius grabbed the jumper he had shed hours ago. "I'm afraid not." Rose frowned as he walked over to her door, tilting her head to the side when she saw him pause when he got there. "Nice hickey, doll," Scorpius said cheekily, causing Rose to gasp and throw the pillow she held at him.

The cushion missed the man by an inch as he escaped behind the door, her good aim surprising the wizard. The witch smiled and bit her lip, shaking her head as she listened to Scorpius' laughter fade away.

* * *

A loud jumble of voices seeped from the other side of the door as Rose struggled to find her way through the intricate mess of straps. "Oh," the witch exclaimed as she slipped on the material of her dress and ended up in a crumpled mess on the floor. The noise in the other room died down when the loud thump of Rose falling was heard, and a voice sounded from the other side.

"Posey, do you need help," Dominique's strident voice asked, knocking on the door, and she walked in a moment after Rose agreed. The witch laughed when she found her cousin in a tangled up mess on the floor, "you're by far the clumsiest witch I have ever known." Dominique laughed again as she helped Rose up, and led her into the complex dress that she had designed. "There," the ginger said proudly when Rose was finally perfectly in place, "now, let's go show the others so I can get to work."

The older witch stepped out of the small changing room first, and cleared her throat loudly and dramatically. "May I introduce my masterpiece." All eyes were on Rose as she stepped into the large room and showed off the stunning dress as she walked up and stood on the high alteration stool.

Suddenly everyone in the room was speaking again; telling Rose how exquisite she looked and congratulating Dominique on a job well done. Molly I, Fleur and Victoire, Angelina and Roxy, Hermione and Rose, and Ginny and Lily had all gathered at the shop that Dominique worked at for the night. They had all been thrilled to see Rose's maid of honor dress for Roxy's wedding, and decided to make an event of sorts out of it.

All of the women fawned over how pretty Rose looked, as a new excitement for the wedding filled the witches. A gorgeous light pink gown hung stunningly on the Ravenclaw, with a tight bodice that clung until it got to just below her breasts, where a thick satin ribbon was. After the waist it fell down to the floor and the charmeuse material swayed around her legs. "Oh, Dom, it's absolutely perfect! Just how I imagined it would be," Roxanne exclaimed happily with tears in her eyes as she stood and hugged her redhead cousin.

"You know, I still can't believe you convinced Ritchie on pink for the wedding." Dominique said, highly impressed with Roxanne's convincing skills. Both of the women then turned back to Rose as they fawned over her, and looked to find a few things that needed to be altered. Just then Molly exclaimed that she couldn't believe another one of her granddaughters was getting married, the third in the bunch.

Rose stared at herself in the mirror, slightly uncomfortable with the ample about of cleavage that was showed off, and the long slit that went up the side of the dress and showed off one of her skinny, tanned legs. "It is really lovely," the witch said after a moment, "but does it have to be so revealing?" Several chuckles were heard as the modest witch crossed her arms over her chest shyly.

"Of course," Roxy answered simply as she admired Rose's perky, supple breasts. "You see, I don't have anything at all to fill out my dress, so I need you to show off your own rack to distract people from looking at mine. Besides, they look bloody phenomenal," Roxanne said with a wink as Rose's face heated up to a red.

The witch brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, willing her blush to go away. "Oh, alright, but I still feel strange, like I'm stealing your spotlight. I mean, it is your wedding after all, shouldn't we be fawning over you?"

The bride to be shrugged her shoulders carelessly, as she stole her mother's glass of wine and sipped from it. The older women glared at her daughter as she finished her glass. "She's wearing my dress, which was my mother's," Angelina explained with a smile.

"Yes," Dominique said in her usual bossy tone, "and we have already finished all the alterations for it. So it's your turn, besides, it's good for Roxy to get a break from the spotlight… I think it was beginning to get to her head." Roxanne choked on her mouthful of wine, chuckling and flipping of Dominique as the ginger simply laughed.

Rose sighed and nodded, as everyone chatted on about the wedding plans. The witch was fine get poked and prodded for awhile, glad she was no longer the center of attention. That was until Victoire switch the subject back to Rose, much to her dismay. "So, Rosie, are you excited to introduce your beau to us tomorrow at dinner?"

Again, Rose cursed her father, as a blushed lit up her freckled cheeks. The witch nodded as Dominique continued to work on shortening the dress for her. "I'm happy that you all will have a chance to meet him, but if I'm going to be honest, I think Scorpius is more excited than I am. He's been studying the family tree I made him like mad for the past week."

Hermione snorted out a laugh, shaking her head at her daughter. "You made him a family tree," she asked, and Rose simply nodded as if it was perfectly normal, "of course you did."

"That's good. Teddy is really thrilled to be introduced to him," Victoire spoke up again. "I think he's eager to finally meet one of his real blood relatives other than Andromeda." Several of the witches looked confused, and it seemed only Rose and Victoire knew of the two men's relation.

"Scorpius and Teddy are second cousins," Rose supplied when it seemed that no one caught on. "Their grandmothers are sisters." Suddenly realization hit the women of the room as crowd of 'ah' was heard.

Molly had a thoughtful look on her face when she spoke. "My, I hadn't even thought of that." A wizard came in then, refilling all of the women's glasses with wine. "Well," the older woman spoke up after taking a sip of her drink. "If what your parents and brother say is true, this young man will surely be lovely. I can assure you me and your grandfather are joyed to meet him."

"From what I hear he's quite easy on the eyes," Roxanne said with a wink, causing Rose's current blush to turn into a darker pink.

Lily, whom had become slightly bored and was reading a Quidditch magazine, nodded enthusiastically from her spot next to her mother. "Oh, he is! I really like him," the young red head said keenly, and all the women laughed at Lily's eager response. "You should see him with Rosie, they are the perfect match," the young girl revealed, causing Rose to smile at her.

"And he's totally not rude and evil like Albus says he is," Lily added, in the habit she had of trailing off. "Well except for the figh-" The girls words stopped half way out of her mouth when she saw Rose give her a stern yet panicked look. But it was too late, everyone was now looking at Lily suspiciously.

Rose and Albus had agreed that it would be for the better if they didn't tell their family about the fight and the broken nose. The auburn haired witch had glamoured the very small bruise that lingered on her nose, along with the fresh love mark that laid on her upper breast. She knew their would be a conniption if her family found out about the disagreement.

"Except for the fire incident," Lily quickly corrected herself, causing her to get several weird looks. "You see, this one time me, Hugo, Albus, Rosie, and Scorpius were all at the Gryffindor table for breakfast and Albus was trying to practice this certain spell but Scorpius distracted him and then it caused the front of Albus' robes to set on fire. And Al was super pissed and blamed it on Scorpius, even though he apologized."

The witch finished her lengthy explanation with a huff, looking around to find that everyone believed her rubbish made up story. Rose sighed when everyone nodded and went back to chatting, extremely thankful for her cousin's great ability to lie on the spot. Feeling her heart beat in her chest, Rose knew then that dinner the next night would be the most nerve racking evening of her life.


	48. Chapter 48

Please leave me reviews and tell me what you think, and enjoy!

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The loud buzz of voices mingled together and became a hum, filling any space it could find as it bounced off the walls. The infamous Weasley Burrow was pushed to its full capacity, with almost every Weasley, Lupin, and Potter in attendance; aside for Molly II, plus husbands or husbands to be. The kitchen was heavily scented with delicious foods, and the air was electric with positive energy.

"Oh, thank you, sweetheart," Molly thanked her granddaughter as she pulled the buns out of the oven, setting them on the counter. The older witch had been immensely joyful and grateful years ago when the family discovered Rose's great abilities in the kitchen, and ever since then the girl had been Molly's designated helper. And if she were to be truthful, Rose had saved countless dinners with her quick thinking and amazing skills.

Just then James stuck his head in, who had managed to take time off of Quidditch for the night, stating that he wouldn't miss seeing the dinner for anything. "Hey, Rosie, I think your little boyfriend just apparated into the yard." Rose quickly turned and looked out the window, finding a slightly confused looking Scorpius standing far away on the huge garden. "And might I add, he isn't so little."

Rose rolled her eyes as she left the kitchen and passed by James, though she had a massive silly grin on her face as she did. When the witch passed by the living room on her way out the front door she found almost all of her cousins pushing each other to look out the window and get a peek at Scorpius.

The tall blonde man turned when he heard the sound of a door shutting and he looked to find Rose walking towards him with a smile. Scorpius took long strides and met her halfway across the lawn, smiling too as he allowed her to bounce into his arms. He hardly had time to grab her around the waist as she threw her arms around his neck and planted her lips on his. The couple kissed hotly for a moment, though when they heard the sound of catcalls coming from the distance, they pulled apart.

Scorpius enjoy the adorable blush that flushed Rose's cheeks as she pulled away, grabbing his hand in her own. "Are you ready," the witch asked in a joking voice, though Scorpius could see the slight anxiety she was trying to hide.

"Well, if the people gawking in the window are any indication of how this night is going to go, I don't think so." Rose laughed as they both turned back and caught most of her younger family members staring at the couple. The witch then pulled him forward, squeezing his hand tightly as she led him into the house that seemed like it was defying gravity. "I like this," Scorpius said as he tilted his head to the side and grinned at the building. "It looks like a real home."

Rose smiled as she looked up to his face, "just wait until you get inside." Right when the couple entered the house they heard a female voice in the other room proclaiming how utterly handsome Scorpius was. The visitor blushed so lightly that only Rose noticed it was there, as he cleared his throat quietly. Scorpius noticed that the room they had walked into seemed like a sitting room, and it inhabited most, if not all, of the elder wizards and witches of the huge family.

All of Rose's aunts and uncles sat in the room, plus her parents and her grandpa, as Molly was still in the kitchen working away. The wizard was shocked at the similarity of the men sitting in the room, though he had expected it to some extent. Every single pair of eyes were on the couple as they stood in the doorway, and Scorpius felt as if he was under strict inspection.

"Uh," Rose turned bright red as she realized all the attention was on her, and she held her boyfriend's hand tight in hers. "Everyone this is Scorpius," the witch said, then moved on to introduce each person in the room. Scorpius smiled and nodded at everyone when their name was called, reluctantly letting go of Rose's hand to step forward and shake several.

"And this is my Uncle Harry," Rose said as she finally got to the last person sitting in the room. Scorpius was surprised when the man stood for him and shook his hand in a tight grip, looking him straight in the eye. The Slytherin felt weird shaking the hand of the man he had heard so much about, seeing nothing extraordinary about the wizard, aside from the faded scar on his forehead. He seemed so completely normal, and Scorpius then understood why his girlfriend didn't seen any of her relatives as anything special, as they were just family to her.

"We should go introduce you to my cousins, I'm sure they are all dying to meet you," Rose said after a moment, though they were unable to leave when suddenly a pair of six year old twins ran into the room.

Scorpius looked down and found two identical girls with black hair and dark eyes stopped in front of him as they look at the stranger with confused expressions. "Who are you," Mariah asked in a loud voice, putting her hand on her hips in a very Molly Weasley type of manner. "You are the biggest person I have ever seen."

Rose looked to Scorpius with a smile and explained who the little rascals were. "These are my cousins, Victoire and Teddy's, daughters, Whitney and Mariah." Scorpius nodded and smiled as he bent down to their level, well aware all eyes were on him.

"I am Rose's friend, my name is Scorpius," the blonde man introduced himself kindly, and Rose smiled as she watched him interact sweetly with them.

The girls looked to each other with silly grins, and the other twin then spoke up. "Scorpius," Whitney repeated as she laughed loudly. "Like a bug," she asked with a huge smile, and when Scorpius nodded, they both laughed loudly. "That's so silly."

"Yeah," the man agreed with a grin, "I suppose my parents were being a bit silly when they picked it." Everyone in the room smiled as they watched Scorpius chat with the girls as if he had a little sister of his own.

Mariah took a step closer, which caused Whitney to follow her lead, and she asked another question. "Are you old," the curious little girl asked. And when Scorpius replied that he was only eighteen, she tilted her head in confusion. "Then why is your hair white like old people?"

Scorpius barked out a laugh then, finding the interesting questions endearing. "You know, I'm not sure. I was born with the same color hair as my dad," Scorpius informed and the room laughed when Whitney asked if she could touch it. When the man chuckled and nodded the girls reached forward and ran their small hands through his hair, exclaiming it felt as soft as their teddy bear.

But when the girls opened their mouth again, their grandpa Bill stepped in and told them to give Scorpius a break for awhile. Rose then lead him into the other living room where all of the younger adults were. Like the last time, conversation died down and all eyes were magnetised to the couple. Again, Rose held Scorpius' hand for comfort as she introduced him and carried on to go around the room and name off everyone.

Just then Molly declared dinner was ready and Rose pulled Scorpius out of the way seconds before a huge crowd of men trampled by and ran into the dining room. After the stampede had passed, his witch led him to the room that held a dinner table made for an entire village of people, though it seemed that there was hardly enough room for everyone. Scorpius sat in between Rose and Potter's older brother, James, who seemed a lot more easygoing than Albus.

Scorpius watched as everyone dove into the food covering the table, and smiled when Rose's grandmother introduced herself. The man wasn't surprised in the least when several of the men at the table asked Scorpius various question, all of which he answered impressively.

A talk about his Quidditch skills turned into Scorpius and James discussing professional Quidditch, which was interrupted by two impatient little ladies. "Scorpius," Whitney shouted from her spot across the table from him, slightly tripping over his long and odd name. "You're allowed to color on yourself," she asked in an impressed voice, "my parents say it's bad to put marker on skin."

Victoire laughed and apologized from her spot next to her daughter, though Scorpius insisted it was fine. The blonde man was wearing a button up shirt, and some of his tattoos were peeking from beneath the collar. "I didn't color on my skin," Scorpius explained patiently, "their called tattoos."

"Oh," Mariah said as she rejected the green beans her father pushed towards her. No one missed the way Ron grumbled from his spot. "My grandpa has some of those, you know," the little girl said in a bossy tone. "How many do you have?"

"I have a lot," Scorpius answered, and when they asked to see them, Teddy scolded his daughters and told them to eat. The rest of dinner went on smoothly, and Scorpius could easily say that he had never tasted such well cooked food.

"I am sorry to interrupt," Rose's Aunt Fleur said minutes later, a small smile on her lips as she looked to Scorpius. "But I must ask you, Scorpius; do you have any veela blood in you?"

All eyes turned to the guest, and he finished his sip of water as he set his goblet back down. Nodding his head gently, Fleur's eyes widened and she smirked in triumph, clearly pleased with herself. "My great-grandmother was a veela. Which makes me only one-eight, so if you would count that, yes." Rose tilted her side to the side as she looked to her boyfriend, impressed as the bit of news explained his unfailing charm.

The blonde woman spoke again, very enthusiastically this time, "well of course it counts! My children are too one-eighth veela. I knew it from the moment I saw you; such beauty could only be accounted with the veela genes." Dominique rolled her eyes from down the table, causing her father to silently scold her, and making her nieces giggle.

Once pudding was served, everyone migrated back to the sitting rooms, and Scorpius was so deep in conversation with Louis that he didn't even notice when Rose left to help her grandma clean up.

When the witch finally reemerged an hour later, she found Scorpius in a friendly conversation with Teddy, who wore a huge grin as he spoke. Both of the men seemed to be hitting it off rather well, much to the Ravenclaw's approval. Rose walked up to where Scorpius sat on the couch, smiling prettily at him as she slid and sat by his side, enjoying how his arm went around her waist as he kissed the top of her head.

Rose smiled contently as she watched her family cheerfully coexist, feeling relieved and grateful they had accepted Scorpius so wholly. She felt the night had gone on perfectly, and couldn't have wished for anything better.

As she sat their snuggled up against Scorpius next to the fire, Rose listened to his calming voice as she drowned in his glorious scent. And with a smile on her face, she watched her family with happy eyes, listening to the calming beat of Scorpius' heart.

* * *

A gush of wind was knocked out of the small girl as she stumbled forward, out of the fireplace she had just floo'd into. Though before she could hit the ground, a strong pair of arms encircled her waist and pulled her up effortlessly, saving her from what would be a drastic fall. "Oh," the small words fell from Rose's lips as she held onto the biceps that she knew so well, looking up to the face of her savior. "Thank you," Rose whispered up to Scorpius, their faces inches apart.

The man simply squeezed his arms tighter around her, bending the inch down to kiss her lips briefly. Rose was shaken out of her bones when someone cleared their throat, and the girl jumped back, looking to find Scorpius' parents several feet away from them. Realizing the couple had witnessed their kiss, a lovely pink blush bloomed on Rose's cheeks as she looked to Scorpius accusingly. However the boy plainly shrugged, not bothered in the least.

A small chuckle escaped Draco as he watched the young pair fight each other with just their eyes. Rose looked back to Scorpius' parents then, finding them both wearing matching pleasant smirks.

"Rose, darling," Astoria said then, plainly seeing Rose's embarrassment on her face. The older witch walked forward, forcing Scorpius to relax his grip on Rose as she embraced the small girl with a welcoming hug. The dark haired woman spoke to the girl as if she was a daughter of her own, admiration and endearment in her eyes. "I'm so happy to see you again." The beautiful witch smiled down at Rose, and her heavy floral scent rolled off of her in delectable waves.

Rose smiled back at the friendly woman, "it's great to see you too, Mrs Malfoy." Astoria told the girl to call her by her name as she winked at her and complimented the lovely dress she wore. The Ravenclaw was wearing the stunning light grey dress Scorpius had gotten her for Valentine's day, and she felt just as special wearing it then as she did months ago. "Thank you. Scorpius got it for me, actually."

Astoria smiled at her son, knowing how much thought he must have put into the gift. "Hello again, Rose," Draco said as he walked up to where his wife was, his smile a match to Scorpius'. "Thank you so much for coming tonight, I know Scorpius' grandparents really appreciate it."

"It's no problem at all, I'm very excited to meet them. Besides, it's only fair; Scorpius met my entire family the other night." Rose looked to her boyfriend with a fond smile and he smirked back down at her, sending her a wink, which wasn't missed by his parents. Rose frowned, however, when Scorpius asked her where her coat was. "Oh, I thought we were staying here," the girl said with wide eyes, afraid she had already made a mistake.

Astoria shook her head gently, "we are meeting them at a restaurant." And when Rose went to apologize, she cut her off. "Not to worry, though. Clod, could you please go fetch a coat out of my closet for me," the woman asked the House elf who stood by the front doors. The small creature nodded, and within the next three seconds he was back, coat in hand as he passed it on to Astoria. "Here you are, darling," Scorpius' mother said with a smile as she handed him the coat so he could help her into it.

"Thank you so much," Rose said, feeling the obviously expensive fabric on her skin, noticing how it was a tad too big but otherwise was a perfect match. Astoria simply grinned at her sweetly, and Draco then reminded them that they should go, as they would surely be late if they didn't leave. The pair of couples exited out the front doors of the manor and walked down the long gravel path until they reached the apparition spot near the huge iron gate.

Scorpius turned to Rose and easily pulled her close to his chest as he grabbed her waist. Bending down he whispered in her ear just as his parents apparated away with a loud _crack_. "Hold on tight, love," he said in a low voice, and suddenly Rose felt herself being pulled at and yanked through thin air. Scorpius was still holding her tightly when they landed a second later, and Rose shuddered as his hand stroked up and down her back, his scent overpowering her.

When Rose took a step back, Scorpius reached for her hand and held it in his large one, comforting her immensely. The couple found themselves on a busy side street, standing in front of a gaudy looking restaurant with Scorpius' parents waiting for them by the doors. "Shall we," Scorpius asked in a gallant tone, making Rose giggle as she nodded and allowed him to led her in. The inside of the restaurant was just as lavish as the outside suggested it would be, and Rose was suddenly very grateful she dressed up as she looked around and found everyone dressed sharply.

"We have a reservation for eight under 'Malfoy'," Draco told the host who immediately nodded as people took their coats, telling them that the rest of their party was already present as he led them to their table. The Ravenclaw felt slightly out of place as she walked through the ornate dining room, feeling a sudden nervousness set into her gut. Scorpius could tell the witch was panicked when she bit her lip, and he bent down to press a kiss to the side of her cheek, telling her not to worry.

The group was led to a secluded back room of the restaurant, and Rose took deep breaths when the approached a table with four older extravagantly dressed witches and wizards.

A blonde woman with stunning icy features was the first to notice as they approached and a smile lit up her slim face at once. With the woman's grin, everyone else at the table seemed to notice their guests' arrival. All four of them stood, and Rose got a full look at all of Scorpius' grandparents for the first time.

The witch was initially shocked by how severely opposite the couples looked; one pale and blonde, with grey eyes, the other colored lightly with dark hair and hazel eyes. Both pairs seemed to look so perfectly alike, almost appearing as if they were siblings. Though all four of them had shocking aristocratically handsome features.

Rose was so busy taking in the appearances she didn't even notice when all four of the people hugged and kissed Draco and Astoria, however she was pulled out of her trance when they moved onto Scorpius. "Oh, look at how handsome my grandson is," the dark haired woman said with a proud and adoring smile as she pulled Scorpius into a hug, "how are you, dear?"

The blonde man received a similar response from his other grandmother, in which both women went back and sat in their spots, seeming to not have seen Rose. A tall blonde man went to Scorpius next, and The witch knew this is where he got his looks from, as Scorpius was almost a carbon copy of the man. The wizard shook his grandson's hand and greeted him welcomingly, his grey eyes trailed over to where Rose stood at his side, yet he didn't say anything. The dark haired man was last to approach Scorpius, in which he did with a tight embrace and hard slap on the back, "how are you, m'boy?"

Everyone then went and sat at the table, and as Scorpius led her around the table, it was as if Rose was suddenly visible to everyone. "My, is this her," the dark haired man said in a loud voice with a smirk, stroking a hand over the thick, handlebar mustache that laid on his upper lip. And when his grandson nodded, he added, "well, you're just a tiny little thing aren't you, darling?" His wife scolded him, and apologized to Rose with a grin.

Just then Scorpius cleared his throat and unabashedly introduced Rose to his family. "This is Rose Weasley," the blonde man said with a smirk as he pulled out her chair for her and took the spot by her side. Rose felt immensely grateful when she found herself sat in between Astoria and Scorpius, though she swallowed hard when she saw the mean looking blonde man across from her.

"She's just as pretty as you said she was," the dark haired witch said to Scorpius in a sweet voice. "Hello Rose, my name is Sylvia, and he is my rude husband, Ray Greengrass. It's lovely to finally be meeting you." Rose smile back at the couple, squeezing Scorpius' hand under the table as his thumb stroked back and forth.

The blonde woman then grabbed Rose's attention, with a small smile on her lightly colored pink lips. "It's wonderful to meet you, Miss Weasley," the witch had a light voice, that was somehow strong and fluid at the same time. "My name is Narcissa Malfoy, and this my husband Lucius," she said as she placed a pale hand on the forearm of her husband. The man, Lucius, looked to Rose with the same grey eyes as Scorpius, and nodded at her once, the corners of his lips turning up ever so slightly.

Ray had a huge grin on his face as he folded his hand on the table and looked to the small girl. "So, Scorpius, how long have you and this lovely young lady been courting," the man asked, and ignored the rude glare his daughter gave him.

Grey eyes watched eyes his witch nervously fidgeted her silverware on her napkin until they were perfectly aligned, a silly habit of hers that he knew she probably didn't realize she was doing. Scorpius looked to Rose, unsure of the answer. "Nearly seven months," Rose answered as she looked back to Ray, the lightest of blushes coloring her. Scorpius was slightly shocked by the answer, he couldn't believe he had been dating the incredible witch for that long. And he suddenly felt very grateful for having her.

"My," Narcissa said, her light colored eyes wide and cold. "It's quite serious, then." Rose looked to the woman and found her eyes traveled down her arm, staring at the diamond bracelet Scorpius had given her, in which she had yet to take off. Narcissa knew the girl likely didn't know the meaning and power behind the bracelet, and that was why she said nothing as she smiled and looked up to her son with curious eyes.

Astoria looked to her mother, hoping to defuse some of the tension. "Tell me, dearie," Sylvia said suddenly, grabbing Rose's attention. "How do your parents like Scorpius?" The blonde looked to Rose then, secretly interested in her answer.

A smile grew on Rose's face as she answered and it was clear she was telling the truth. "Oh, they love him," Rose said excitedly, and Scorpius felt his chest swell with pride as he held her hand under the table. "My mum and dad think he's amazing, and Scorpius has somehow managed to even impress my brother." Ray then asked her how old her brother was, in which Rose replied Hugo was fifteen. And when he asked if Hugo was in Gryffindor with her, she corrected him. "Well, my brother is a Gryffindor, like the rest of my family, but I'm not." Rose then received several surprised looks, "I'm in Ravenclaw."

"That certainly makes sense," Narcissa said. "I read a couple weeks ago about your fantastic scholar abilities in the paper, and I must congratulate you, Miss Weasley. It is very impressive what you have achieved." Rose blushed as Ray and Sylvia nodded in agreement, though she was truly shocked when Lucius also nodded as he said one word, 'indeed'.

Scorpius was even surprised by the small expression, as he had expected his grandfather to sit silently through the entire dinner and pout like the spoiled man he was. Just then the waiter stopped by and took their orders, which leaded the group to learned of Rose's vegetarianism, and applauded her on it.

Dinner went on pleasantly, with light conversation as the family learned more about Rose, in which they became more fond of the little witch. Even Lucius appeared to become somewhat friendly towards the girl, seeming to forget her blood status, though not completely. The Ravenclaw was shocked at how polite and well mannered, and seemingly perfect, everyone was, feeling her table manners were put to shame.

The entire table laughed as Rose told the story of how Scorpius managed to blow up his cauldron one day in potions class, as Scorpius sat next to her with a half pout and half smirk on his lips.

But as Scorpius watched Rose as she laughed merrily, everyone at the table clearly saw how much he obviously loved her, as even a blind man could see it. All six of the older witches and wizards thought the same exact thing; how they were immensely grateful that Scorpius had found Rose.


	49. Chapter 49

Hey guys, I am so glad you all liked the family introductions in last chapter! But I just wanted to pop in and answer a few questions I got.

First of all, the bracelet. So as I wrote in chapter 22, when Draco gave Scorpius the family bracelet to gift to Rose, it was mentioned how the jewelry was normally given to a witch by a Malfoy wizard as a sign of pre-engagement, as the promise of courtship. But Draco stated how Scorpius shouldn't dwell on the tradition in it and simply think of it as an ordinary gift. This is why Narcissa was slightly taken off guard in the last chapter when she saw Rose wearing it, as she had been unaware that the couple's relationship was so serious.

And also someone commented on the fact that Scorpius' cousins weren't in last chapter, and that was because I wanted to make the dinner very intimate, with only Scorpius' grandparents. But do not worry, the Pucey family will be making an appearance very soon.

I hope I answered all inquiries. Anyways, if anyone else has any questions or comments of their own, _please_ do not hesitate to leave them. And as always, enjoy!

* * *

His lungs filled with air as he took a deep breath, his hand coming up to smooth down the front lapels of his jacket. The small, and almost silent, noise of air whipping past sounded, and the wizard turned on the heel of his expensive, Italian leather shoes. And for the first time in a long time, Scorpius Malfoy was utterly lost for words.

A beautiful witch with bright blue eyes and silky auburn hair stood before him, just having arrived through the fireplace. Rose tugged on the long sleeves of her dress as she watched Scorpius simply stare at her, seeming to have been hypnotized.

His witch was wearing a lovely light blue dress, very festive for Easter, with black tights beneath them, and the Malfoy family bracelet on her wrist. The dress was made out of satin, and sat perfectly on her body, as it swayed around her thighs and landed at her knees. Grey eyes darkened with hunger when he noticed how Rose's delicious breasts were ever so slightly shown off by the small dip in her neckline. Scorpius knew he had never seen such a beautiful sight before, and his heat ached knowing that the woman in front of him was all his.

"Merlin, you're fucking gorgeous," Scorpius said in a low growl as he dove the two long steps separating them and grabbed the sides of Rose's face in his big hands. The witch was thrown off balance when a heated pair of lips were suddenly making love to hers, and she quickly placed her hands on his waist to keep from tumbling over.

When Scorpius pulled back a minute later Rose's cheeks were fully flushed and the one sided dimple appeared as she looked up at him and smiled brightly. The witch was pleased when she found herself almost eye level with Scorpius' collarbones, with her sleek black heels on. "Well, hello to you too," Rose said with a small giggle as she looked up into the always charming grey eyes. The small girl pulled back slightly, yet remained in Scorpius' grip, and appreciated the clearly expensive and personalized tuxedo he wore, "you look quite handsome."

Scorpius said nothing though, as his hand on her waist traveled down and roughly squeezed Rose's silky covered backside. Blue eyes grew in size and Rose felt her heat rush into her knickers, as her heart sped up dangerously. "We should go," Scorpius finally said after a moment of massaging Rose's supple bottom, dropping a fast kiss to her lips. "I'm afraid that if we don't leave now, I'll throw you over my shoulder and sneak you off to my room so I can properly devour you."

"I have no problem with that," Rose said without blinking, and Scorpius suddenly smirked, knowing he was beginning to rub off on her.

But Scorpius knew his parents and grandparents were likely awaiting their arrival, and would become highly suspicious soon. "You're making this so hard," Scorpius said with a groan as he unwillingly pulled away from her. "Come on, then, love. I have crowds of noisy, no good gossiping purebloods to show you off to," Scorpius winked, though Rose felt her fear rise back up her throat.

Grabbing her petite hand in his, Scorpius led Rose over to the fireplace, snatching a handful of powder. Yet, he quickly spoke to her with a serious face, "Rose, promise me that you will stay by my side the whole night." Rose nodded right away, causing Scorpius to nod too and rush them off as he yelled, "Flint Manor."

When the coupled landed, Rose felt Scorpius' arm tightly wrapped around her waist, to keep her from humiliating herself in front of a crowd. The loud noise of elegant music instantly flowed to Rose's ears, along with dozens of voices, as the smell of delectable food filled the air. The pair stepped out of the huge fireplace a second later, and Scorpius kept his arm protectively around her as Rose took in the extravagant view of the huge flamboyant hall.

The ball room was massive, bigger than Hogwarts' Great Hall, and every inch of the room was displaying obvious wealth, whether it was with a grand painting or a gaudy piece of china. Hundred of people filled the room, most older but there was a few younger children running around. All the witches and wizards wore luxurious robes, and practically reeked of riches.

"This is wonderful," Rose whispered, her mind reeling as she took in the huge affair. Scorpius looked down at her with a smirk, enjoying the way the lights seemed to shine in her pretty eyes. And though they had only been there a moment, there was already several people who stopped to look at the new beauty, most of which were men yet there was a few envious women too.

Rubbing her soft skin with his fingers, Scorpius slightly nudged her forward, leading her on the hunt for his family. They walked past dozens of people, and Rose wasn't oblivious to the incredible stares the couple received. Although what she didn't realize is that people were gawking over the fact that the famous Malfoy son had a witch by his side for the first time ever. The witch was thoroughly calmed by Scorpius' soothing touch, and she constantly reminded herself that she was with the man she loved.

Just when Scorpius thought he saw a flash of the tell tale Malfoy white blonde hair, he was distracted by a group of men. The two older wizards of the group noticed the couple first, as their son's backs were facing them. "Ah, Bella, we finally meet again," Blaise Zabini said loudly, grinning from ear to ear like the cheshire cat. "I was beginning to wonder if my dear boy Scorpius was hiding you from me."

Luciano turned at his father's words, along with Quinn, both of whom smiled brightly at her. Blaise laughed happily as he watched his son jog towards Rose and harshly push Scorpius' aside as he hugged her tightly. "Let the poor girl breath," Theodore said with a laugh from behind him. Luciano let go a full minute later, a toothy grin on his face as he grabbed her hand and kissed it with a wink to Scorpius.

The blonde man glared at his mate as he protectively grabbed Rose again, his muscled arm winding around her tiny waist. "Wait, wait," Quinn said with an apprehensive look, seeming to finally have processed Blaise's words. "You already met her," he asked, looking to his father, and when both of the older men nodded, he asked, "when?"

With a thoughtful look, Theodore answered, "back in November, I think it was." Both Quinn and Luciano looked to Scorpius with highly offended faces. The blonde man took a long sigh, feeling the dramatics that were surely about to turn on.

"You're telling me," Luciano said loudly, "that my own bloody _father_ got to meet your girlfriend before me, your best mate?" Scorpius simply nodded, as Rose looked on with wide, nervous eyes. "Well, that's a load of pure shit," the Italian wizard exclaimed, as Quinn nodded in agreement.

And just as Luciano opened his mouth to shout again, Scorpius' savior showed up. " _Per piacere, faccia silenzio,_ " an Italian accented voice called out. "What on Earth are you screaming on about? I heard you from all the way across the room, _caro_." A stunning tall, tanned women with dirty blonde hair had strolled up to Blaise, and placed a hand on her curvy body as she looked to Luciano with expectant eyes. "Good evening, Scorpius love," the woman said with a lovely smile, though she turned back to Blaise a moment later.

Scorpius was able to pull Rose away from the crowd just as the woman started hollering in Italian at Luciano again. "That was Venezia, Luciano's mother," Scorpius explained with a smile as he led them away. Just when he has spotted his father, the wizard was stopped yet again, by Melody Caldwell and Velma Elswood.

With grins that were entirely too excited, the girls greeted the handsome man, completely ignoring the witch at his side. "Scorpius, how good it is to see you," Velma drew up, her voice thick and heavy, as she twisted a strand of hair between her fingers and dipped her hip to the side. Scorpius worried when he felt Rose tense at his side and dig her fingers into where they held his upper arm, as her breathing grew just faster.

"Hm, you too, Elswood," the blonde replied with a tense smile before walking away, wanting to get Rose away from them. "Are you okay," he asked his little love, and she nodded, though he could see clear on her face that she was lying. Yet when he went to interrogate further, they appeared before his father, who grinned at them.

Rose saw the group of Scorpius' family a moment later, along with other people she had never seen before. The wizard felt his witch take a deep breath and he gave her a comforting squeeze.

"There you two are," Astoria said with a proud smile, "we were beginning to worry." The woman simply laughed prettily when Scorpius explained how the Zabini's had caught them. And after hugging Rose she added, "you look lovely, sweetheart." Draco greeted Rose with a grin when the couple joined the group, telling her how happy he was that she could come.

The Ravenclaw was thrown off when she faced the small group of unknown people, and saw Dawson standing amongst them. However she quickly recalled how he had told her that Scorpius and himself were cousins. Most of the attention turned to the couple, and Rose was greeted happily with small hugs from Sylvia and Narcissa, and smiles from Lucius and Ray.

The group of five, a family Rose guessed, then looked to her; all the men with the same dark locks and eyes, though the woman had light hair and green eyes, and Rose easily spotted the similarities between her and Scorpius' mother. "Rose," Scorpius said, "this is my Aunt Daphne and Uncle Adrian." The man nodded at her politely, his eyes seemingly judging her. But the woman, a beautiful witch, smiled brightly at the young girl.

"My," Daphne said, "you look just like you mother." Rose felt herself blush, and the older witch grinned at her modesty. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Weasley."

The brunette nodded and pushed a hair behind her ear, slightly leaning against Scorpius. In her dulcet voice, Rose said, "you too, Mrs Pucey." The woman smiled back, the expression giving off the same warmth which Astoria's smile did.

Blue eyes looked and saw Dawson standing between two other men who looked practically identical to him. Scorpius cleared his throat and motioned to the wizards. "And these are my cousins, Edmund and Ackley." One of the wizards, the one Scorpius had introduced as Edmund, wore a handsome smirk as he went forward a step and kissed the back of her hand. Though the other did nothing but flash Rose a quick grin, his arms folded over his chest, much less friendly than his brothers.

The family appeared to be surprised when Dawson went forward and hugged Rose briefly. "You two know each other," Astoria asked, sipping her glass of champagne. The woman's eyebrows rose when Dawson explained that Rose was the Head Girl. "Well, I certainly can't say I'm surprised," Astoria said with a laugh, and it was clear she was quite fond of the girl.

"A halfblood," Ackley asked courageously, after having stared at Rose intensely for a full minute. It was clear by the disgust that could be heard in his voice, that he didn't approve.

A gasp was heard from Daphne as she whipped her head to look at her son, and Astoria's eyes widened as she looked nervously to Rose. Scorpius tightened his hand on Rose's waist unconsciously, not realizing how hard he was squeezing her as he could only feel his fury. The little Ravenclaw was shocked, though she had expected a similar response from someone at one time or another through the night. She was after all a non-Pureblood at a highly exclusive and elite Pureblood ball, she knew such a comment was bound to come at some point.

The witch looked up to her boyfriend when she felt him tremble slightly, finding him red in the face as he gave Ackley a death glare. Everyone watched as Rose placed her hand on Scorpius chest when he took a step forward, his grey eyes flicking down to her as she spoke nearly silently, "Scorpius." That one words was enough to stop the Malfoy son, as he looked down into his beauty's eyes, soft and calm. He knew she was right, and he let out a long sigh through clenched teeth, nodding his head a fraction of an inch. Draco nearly sputtered aloud when he saw the exchange, never knowing anyone who could reign in his son's anger as the little witch just had.

Scorpius' uncle, Adrian, then stepped up to his son and grabbed him by the collar as he dragged him far away from the group; clearly heavily upset. Daphne turned back to the little witch, an apologetic and embarrassed look on her pretty face. "Rose, I am so sorry about that. I have no idea what has gotten into my son, he is never like this. I do hope you can forgive him."

Rose smiled at Scorpius' aunt, honestly not as offended as she should have been. "It's fine, don't worry." Scorpius rubbed her cinched waist, happy his witch didn't seem mad at his rude family. The conversation then started up again, everyone over the show. And Rose shook her head when Scorpius bent down to her ear and too whispered an apology. Looking up to him, her quiet voice spoke, "there is nothing to be sorry for, Scorpius. I'm fine."

Ackley and Adrian returned some time later, a hard look on Ackley's face as he stood disgruntledly, clear having been told off by his father. Adrian still looked displeased but was nowhere near as angry as he appeared before. Scorpius' uncle apologized swiftly, and Rose smiled and reassured him. Ackley seemed put off the rest of the night, and avoided eye contact with Rose and Scorpius all together.

Just then superbly decorated tables appeared, and everyone went to find their seats for dinner. The group of thirteen was sat together, and Rose was slightly relieved that she wasn't put with strangers. The meal was served not long after, and the table all chatted merrily, getting along with their guest perfectly. All throughout the dinner Scorpius kept his hand on Rose's thigh, comforting her and making her feel antsy at the same time. Not long after desserts were served, and Draco chuckled when he spotted Rose stealing some of Scorpius' cake from him.

The room was with loud with voices, and the air seemed sophisticated and vibrant and fun all at the same time. Marcus Flint and his breathtaking wife, Esme, came by and talked with their guests. The man smiled when he noticed Rose seated close with Scorpius, "it's nice to see you again, Miss Weasley. And let me congratulate you on your test, though if I am going to be honest, I knew you were a shoo-in to do great. I was honored to be present for such a monumental occasion." The man left with a smile, wishing his visitors a good rest of the night.

Minutes later, the entire party was ushered out onto the massive, long balcony that ran aside the entire house of the manor, for the annual smashing of the plates. Astoria smiled as she handed Rose her plate, and the girl thanked her immensely, causing Scorpius to smile at the two. The Weasley stood close to Scorpius as she heard the entire crowd count down, and all of a sudden the sound of hundreds of plates smashing was heard all throughout. And though Rose still didn't understand the strange tradition, she would admit she felt a thrill go through her as she chucked her expensive plate onto the concrete.

Just after that, the few children at the party ran off into the extensive gardens of the land, running about on their egg hunt, baskets in hand and smiles in place. Most everyone else slowly migrated back into the hall, grabbing drinks and laughing with each other. Loud music begin playing again, and Rose watched with wide eyes as several couples walked onto the dance floor.

When the witch looked to Scorpius with pleading eyes, he knew exactly what she was going to ask for. "Please," she said, not specifying her needs as she was sure Scorpius already knew what she wanted. The man sighed, not too fond of dancing in public, despite the many dance classes he had growing up. Yet when he saw the delectable pout form on her lips, he knew he had no chance in a fight with the angel. Astoria and Narcissa shared a glance, and smiled at each other when they witnessed this, knowing Scorpius would cave and give his witch what she wanted.

"Oh alright, but only for one song," Scorpius said as he rolled his eyes, though he smiled as Rose eagerly grabbed his hand and led him onto the floor. And low and behold, six songs later, the tough and scary Slytherin was still on the floor with his beauty.

Rose smiled up at Scorpius as his large hands spread over her lower back, his chest pressed against hers. Her hands were clasped around his neck, as they had forgotten all rules of dancing once a slow melody came on. The coupled swayed back and forth as they held each other closer, unafraid of any on looking eyes. A small grin slowly wound up Scorpius' face when he heard a quiet humming escape Rose, as she looked up into his eyes and beamed at him, as if he was the one and only thing she needed in life.

Bending down, Scorpius brought his face close to hers and whispered sweet nothings, simply wishing to make her smile once again, feeling as if it was his one job in life. "I love you, Rose Blaire Weasley," his low voice said mutedly, making the beauty blush.

"And, I love you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," Rose whispered back, pulling him down a little further to kiss him quickly on his sweet lips. Scorpius could feel several pairs of eyes on them, and instantly felt the need to hide Rose from everyone, as she was surely too good for the world. "Can we go outside," her gentle voice asked, as if reading his mind. Scorpius looked into her doe eyes and nodded immediately, as he had been just about to suggest it.

With her doll-like hand in his large one, Scorpius led Rose out onto the spacious balcony of the manor, which was lucky enough to be empty of all guests. The couple walked up to the rail, and Scorpius stood behind Rose, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "It's so beautiful here," the witch said as she looked down at the huge gardens, admiring all of the many flowers and plants. "One day, I want a garden as big and lovely as your mother's," Rose said as she turned her head to the side slightly, the stars in the sky lighting up her eyes.

Scorpius brought his lips forward and kissed Rose's throat, inhaling her sugary scent. "Then I will give you the biggest and most glorious garden you have ever laid your eyes upon," his words mumbled against her smooth skin. Rose smiled when she heard Scorpius automatically place himself in her future.

Her dimple was pressed into her cheek as she brought a hand up and let her fingertips trail lightly all over his face, keeping her eyes on his. "And what can I give you," Rose asked, seeing how it was only fair. Her slim digits tucked a silky a piece of unruly hair behind his ear, running her fingers through his blonde locks afterward.

The wizard made his girl grin silly when he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch for a second, opening them again to find her staring at him lovingly. "I have all I'll ever need with you in my arms," Scorpius promised truthfully, as his heart beat faster when he saw how happy his words made Rose.

Just as she opened her mouth to reply, a voice shouted from behind the couple, ruining their moment. "Oi, mate," Quinn yelled, and the couple turned to find him standing in the open doors leading to the balcony. "Flint is asking for you, he says he has some hilarious story he needs to tell you." Scorpius chuckled lightly when he saw Quinn's amused grin.

Turning back to Rose, he placed his hands on her upper arms. "I'll be right back," Scorpius said, and Rose nodded with a smile. "Great, don't go anywhere." The tall man dropped a peck to her cheek before catching up to Quinn with a smirk.

Rose turned back to the yard with a smile, sighing as she watched a young girl get chased around the maze of flowers by another little boy, giggling merrily. The loud music from inside the house leaked outside and Rose hummed along to the tune, as she felt her feet begin to ache. The song tinkered off to a stop, and a loud gasp of surprise left Rose just as the first beat of the next song pounded through the air.

A cold hand had wrapped itself fully around Rose's thin arm, and the witch yanked herself out of the grasp as she turned around to face the perpetrator. A tall man stood before her with long, curly black hair, and a dark beard that covered the bottom half of his face. He was dressed in expensive clothing and was handsome in a twisted way, seeming to hold an air of aristocracy. "Oh, I'm sorry," Rose said suddenly, thinking the man probably wished for her to be inside. "I was just…" but her words faded off when the man said nothing as he stared down at her with coal black eyes that seemed cold and isolated, causing Rose to shiver reluctantly.

The man's lips twitched upward when Rose took a step away from him, and felt her back touch the railing to the balcony. "You're Malfoy's little pet, huh," he asked and she nodded, feeling her stomach drop in fear as she swallowed and felt all helpful thoughts escape her. "My, my, you're such a pretty little thing," the man had a thick voice, and he drawled on his words as if waiting for something, "such a lucky man he is."

The wizard brought up a hand and hovered it over the side of her face, contemplating his movements. But finally, after a full minute, he dropped his icy hand onto her heated cheeks. Rose felt his palm shaking against her skin, as she silently prayed for Scorpius to return. Thoughts raced through her head, and try as she might, she couldn't put a name to the face that seemed so familiar. She _knew_ she had seen the man before, even if just in a photo.

"What a silly man to leave such a beauty unattended," the man said, his black eyes flashing dangerously. Rose breathed heavily, whimpers of fear escaping her. The man was leaning closer to her face when suddenly a savior appeared.

Draco Malfoy stood a couple feet away, having gone to look for the girl when he didn't spot her anywhere minutes ago. What he saw disgusted him, and he felt a rush of relief flood him for having found Rose in time. "Rabastan, step away from the girl," Draco said in a calm tone, though he was raging on the inside. Just then Scorpius stepped onto the balcony, behind his father.

A pale hand immediately went to Scorpius chest, as Draco held him back, knowing how irrational he could get. "Lestrange, let her go, _now_!" The man's voice vibrated through the space, causing Rose to jump slightly. The witch suddenly made the connection, knowing she had heard of the man, and felt sick to have his hands on her. Scorpius was shocked, though his anger over powered it when he saw the pure look of fear on Rose's face.

Rabastan wore an evil grin, and he all of a sudden released his tight grip on Rose, smirking as he watched her immediately run across the space to Scorpius. The blonde man held Rose tightly in his arms, "were leaving."

The couple left the balcony the next moment, just in time to hear Rabastan speak. "Your son has such a lovely girl, you much feel overjoyed, Malfoy." Scorpius knew his father could handle the wizard, and he worried not as he quickly stopped to inform his mother that they were leaving in a hushed voice. The woman nodded, her blue eyes looking to the shaken girl with immense concern.

"Come on, love," Scorpius said comfortingly as his hand rubbed up and down Rose's spine, leading her into the fireplace. The two went back to the Malfoy Manor; as Rose had managed to convince her parents to let her stay the night at Scorpius' after hours and days of pleading with them. And though Scorpius had spent a few nights in Rose's bed, she felt sort of shy to be sleeping under the roof of his home. "Do you want anything," Scorpius asked kindly, feeling ever so nervous. No one had ever been to Scorpius' wing of the manor, besides his friends, and it felt intimate to have Rose with him.

"I'm fine," the witch said, her smile back in place as she looked up to him, "actually, my feet are a bit sore." Rose felt butterflies erupt in her stomach when a devilishly handsome smirk appeared on Scorpius' lips, and she suddenly found herself being lifted off her feet. The wizard carried Rose bridal style down the richly decorated corridors, bringing her down to his wing of the house. They finally reached a set of double doors at the end of a long hallway, and Scorpius kicked them open with his foot, as Rose held her breath with wide eyes.


	50. Chapter 50

Here we are; chapter 50, already! I can't believe how quick the time has gone by. Anywho, please let me know your opinion on this chapter, tell me what you think. And enjoy!

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Both of the two felt sparks of energy and excitement shoot through them, feeling as if they were entering the rest of their lives together. The wizard held the petite girl effortlessly in his arms, standing in front of the doors to his room. "Here we are," Scorpius said as he shut the doors behind them and carefully set Rose back onto her feet, watching her looking around his bedroom.

The witch was struck at how luxurious the room was, although she should have expected it from the state of the rest of the house. Rose was surprised to find a dark blue coloring most of the bedroom, having anticipated a green of sorts. The ceilings were hugely high and the room was extraordinarily spacious. In the center of the room stood a massive bed, and the rest of the furniture was just as old and handsome. There was two doors in the room, one was closed, and in the other Rose saw a huge, polished bathroom.

Before she could say a word, Scorpius was speaking, "my mother set up a room for you right next to mine." However, Rose simply turned back to him, asking if they could stay where they were. The man nodded, watching as his witch walked up to his bed, loving how in place she looked. Rose ran her fingertips over the top of the covers, closing her eyes at the perfectly soft blankets.

A smile found her as Scorpius placed his hands on her waist and spun her around. Their lips found each other immediately, as if drawn to one another by an invisible force. They kissed hungrily, feeding their emotions to one another, wanting to drown in the kiss. Scorpius brought one hand behind Rose's neck, and tilted her head back so he could open her mouth with his. His skillful tongue immediately entered her warm cavern, and he caressed every corner of her mouth, rubbing his fingers through her hair.

Rose moaned loudly into Scorpius' mouth, her hands pushing his tux jacket off of him, exposing a perfectly fit white dress shirt. A surge of power rushed through the witch when her trembling hands reached down and unbuckled his belt, sliding it from the loops and tossing it carelessly away. Scorpius was shocked by her forwardness, but was enjoying every second of it. "Let's get you out of those bloody shoes," Scorpius said with a smirk, as his hands grabbed her waist and picked her up to toss her backwards onto his bed.

A squeal of excitement escaped Rose, and she couldn't stop the grin that found her face. A rush of heat sent wetness into Rose's knickers when she looked down and found Scorpius knelt at the end of the bed. The wizard smirked as he picked up one of her feet, wordlessly slipping the tiny shoe off of her foot. Rose felt her eyes roll into the back of her head when his nimble fingers worked and massaged her then.

Scorpius moved onto the other foot some time after, giving it just as much attention. Blue eyes looked back down to him when he stopped his glorious kneading. His pale hands stroked up and down one stocking covered leg several times before sneaking under the hem of Rose's dress. The witch sucked in a breath when she felt his warm fingers graze over the bare skin of her thigh, feeling him take hold of the top of her thigh high stocking. Scorpius slowly peeled the thin material off of her skinny, long legs, revealing one inch of tanned skin at a time.

The man then bent down and peppered kisses all over the bare leg, sending shivers up her spine. Rose's eyes were glued to him, mesmerized by everything he did. After some time of worshiping her leg, he moved onto the other one, giving it the same glorious treatment. Rose was full on panting by the time Scorpius' kisses reached her knees, needing him in every way imaginable.

Scorpius was suddenly on top of her in a flash, hovering his built body over her slim one, kissing her lips with everything he had. One of his hands came up and gently stroked the tops of Rose's breasts, where they were on display for him, causing Rose to gasp and bite his lip. The man pulled back and panted when he felt Rose hook one of her legs around his waist. "We should stop," he panted, though his words felt bitter on his tongue. Rose nodded, yet she leaned up and planted a dozen more kisses on his lips before pulling back and dropping against his soft bed.

The man pulled himself off of her, standing at the end of the bed as Rose joined him, her eyes big and innocent. Scorpius was unsure what the witch was thinking when she stepped forward and started unbuttoning his shirt, though he remained silent. When the shirt was fully undone, Rose pulled the ends out of his black trousers and slid it off his muscled arms, a small smile on her face.

Rose held the shirt in her hand as she turned her back to him, standing on the floor that was littered with their clothing. "Would you help me," her angelic voice asked, and Scorpius was frozen for a second. When his sanity finally returned, he stepped forward and unzipped the thin line down the back of her dress, revealing a creamy tan back. Scorpius gulped when he found Rose without a bra, even though he had seen several pairs of breasts before. "Don't look," Rose said with a giggle as she peeked back and looked to him.

Scorpius only swallowed, unable to shut his eyes. The witch then let the blue dress fall to the floor in a satin heep, and the wizard knew he had died and gone to heaven. His grey eyes feverently took in the sight before him, looking at her pert bottom that was covered by a pair of small, lacy black knickers. Rose's silhouette was extremely thin, and the outline of her ribs and spine showed on her back, though Scorpius thought she couldn't be more beautiful if she tried. She looked like a goddess, and Scorpius knew every inch of her was perfection; a sight to only be worshipped and nothing less.

Rose then slid Scorpius' shirt on, and slowly buttoned it up the front, the bottom of it falling to her mid thighs. When she turned back to face him, Scorpius saw the most beautiful sight he had ever beheld. Rose's cheeks were a light pink, and her curls fell around her softly, though the most gorgeous thing was the way her pink nipples showed through the shirt and pressed up against it, hardened to a peek. Scorpius knew then that he would never allow Rose to wear anything but his clothing ever again, seeing how good she looked in it.

A stunning smirk was on Rose's lips as she walked around Scorpius, and went to the side of his bed, placing her wand on the side table. Scorpius was silent as his grey eyes watched Rose climbed into his bed big, and sit at the top. "Are you just going to stand there and watch me all night, then?" Her voice was teasing, and Scorpius wondered where Rose got all of her courage.

The man didn't waste another second as he quickly stripped out of his dress pants and kicked his shoes off, not caring if he never saw them again. Rose giggled when she suddenly found an eager wizard stretched out on the bed beside her. "Wait," the witch said suddenly, looking to Scorpius with a serious expression. "Can you lock the doors and windows," Rose asked sweetly, and the wizard snatched his wand off the bedside table and locked everything simultaneously, knowing how it was a comfort for Rose. Leaning down, she thanked him as she pressed a kiss to his upper lip, though he caught the back of her head with his hand and pulled her further down.

The couple spent the next half hour snogging each other senselessly, until they finally pulled apart, as sleep caught up to them. Scorpius smiled as he watched Rose's nose crinkle when she yawned, and he quickly kissed the tip of it as he pulled back the covers. The two warm bodies snuggled under the soft sheets, immediately finding each other.

Rose rested her head on Scorpius' muscled chest, as he pulled her closer to him with his arm. The witch pressed a kiss right above his heart, listening to his breathing in his chest. Scorpius closed his eyes, feeling her little fingers trace over the outlines of his tattoo's. The pair was lulled off into a peaceful slumber some time later, feeling a sense of serenity wash over them as they held each other.

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With a huge intake of breath that filled his lungs, Scorpius awoke suddenly, as he did in the early dawn of every morning. A quiet groan left him as he moved to stretch out his body, though he was ever so surprised when he felt himself pinned down by a light weight. His blonde eyelashes fluttered open and grey eyes looked downward, as a gentle smile found his lips. A breathing sounded so deep and slow that it could surely only come from someone wholly consumed by sleep. The angel slumbering in his bed looked so peaceful, Scorpius knew he could never wake her.

Rose had her head laid right over Scorpius' breast, her cheek hot on his bare skin. One tiny hand laid flat across his ribs, twitching every now and again in the cutest of ways. But the thing that made Scorpius hold back a chuckle was the skinny leg Rose had hooked over Scorpius' waist, pulling him close to her and locking him in place. The wizard wasn't bothered in the least when he felt how her bony hip dug into his stomach, hardly even feeling the discomfort it caused. Her pretty pink lips were parted and her puffs of breath tickled Scorpius' chest every time she sighed, her nose crinkling slightly.

Scorpius simply stared at the witch for several long minutes, completely transfixed by her. Rose's long, wavy hair was spread out on the pillows behind her, and Scorpius had no cares when he saw how his expensive dress shirt was completely wrinkled from its pristine state. He knew, from experience, that Rose would surely sleep for hours on, not seeming to have an internal alarm clock like most everyone.

One pale hand moved from its spot on her waist and began stroking up and down her spine slowly, feeling the small bones protruding from her skinny body. Rose shivered slightly after Scorpius had made it up and down several times, snuggling her body closer to Scorpius', unknowing to the fact that he was the one who was giving her the sensations. The fingertips softly traced all over the back of her body, and Scorpius smiled when Rose nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck as he stroked her own.

His hand continued to unconsciously slide all over her body, as he lightly pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. Scorpius simply laid and let his hand wander Rose's body for almost an hour, as the sun lifted into the sun and shone through the curtains, lighting up the room softly with a glow. "Rosie," the wizard finally whispered to his witch after some time, wishing to wake her.

Though, as expected, the girl didn't respond in the slightest. "Rose love, wake up," the man tried several more times, and only managed to get her to hug herself tighter to him. So, Scorpius tried another method of waking the narcoleptic girl. His hand move to the side of her and over to her front, and he started rubbing small circles just under one of her breasts, never lingering any farther up; not wanting to do anything without her permission.

Scorpius smirked sneakily when Rose finally reacted as her breathing got slightly faster and she moved her head from his neck to lay back on his chest. "Rosie," Scorpius cooed again, as he continued to rub the undersides of her breasts. A long, hushed moan escaped the witch and her body shivered again, her leg tightening around his hips. "Wake up, doll."

And finally, after minutes of prodding, Rose's eyelids fluttered open as a long sigh left her. Unlike Scorpius, the witch seemed to know exactly where she was the moment she woke up, and a tiny smile lifted her lips immediately. Rose tilted her head up so she could look to Scorpius, and her heart fluttered when she found him grinning at her, looking devilishly handsome.

His blonde hair was slightly tousled about, and his face seemed softer, more relaxed. "Good morning, beautiful," Scorpius whispered to her, his voice a low rumble from sleep. The wizard grinned again, enjoying the feel when she kissed the pale skin of his chest many times. Rose picked up her hand and began tracing the outline of the tattoo that laid just beneath her palm, smiling contently when she saw that it was her tattoo.

"I had the best dream last night," Rose admitted in light, tired voice, forgetting to wish him a good morning. Both of them were highly aware of how Scorpius' hand hadn't ceased its trail of stroking all over her, and Rose wished him to never stop.

Scorpius brought his other hand down and rubbed the skin of the leg that laid across his lower stomach. "Did you," he asked, curious when Rose blushed and nodded. "What was it about?" However the witch didn't speak with her words to answer him, she spoke with her body.

Pouty lips moved and dropped kisses all over the top of Scorpius' bare chest, feeling the heat coming from within him. The wizard was shocked when Rose suddenly pushed the leg around him over to the other side and slid herself up, sitting astride on him. Her kisses never halted, and she trailed them higher, stopping at his neck to rightly adore the pale throat.

A slight gasp escaped Scorpius when he felt her warm lips on his neck, just below where the hair of his beard started. Both of her hands had moved and were laid flat over his pecs. Rose kissed softly over his throat, finding one spot where she began sucking and nibbling the skin, wanting to mark him like he had done to her many times.

One of Scorpius' hands were tangled in her silky locks, massaging her scalp, as the other firmly held the crook of her cinched waist. "Rose," the wizard breathed out, causing her to smile against his smooth skin. The witch pecked him softly one last time over the spot, then moved her face so it hovered over his.

Ocean eyes clashed with stormy ones, and they said a million things to each other with just one look. And suddenly, Rose had dropped her mouth down to his, and the couple was kissing each other passionately. One small hand came up and cupped Scorpius' cheek, as their tongues fought for dominance. The couple kissed for a good time, pulling back with swollen lips. Rose sat up as she panted slightly, planting her hands back on his stomach.

Rose watched as Scorpius' grey eyes shifted a shade darker as they took in her entire appearance. The wizard felt himself instantly grow hard when he got a good first look at Rose. A few of the buttons of his shirt had come undone in her sleep, and now a deep valley between her breasts was revealed, leaving three mere buttons to keep her covered. Her hair was slightly messy and big, though it gave her a beautiful look.

Scorpius suddenly couldn't hold himself back, and with fast reflexes he reached forward and quickly slipped the last three buttons from their holes, though he left the shirt closed. The two of them breathed hard, so transfixed with each other the rest of the world could be on fire and they wouldn't even have noticed.

With shaking hands, Rose grabbed the front edges of the white shirt, but Scorpius caught one of them with his. "You don't have to," her told her, and yet all she did was nod. Once his hand was resting back on top of her thighs, Rose took a deep breath and opened the front of the shirt slowly, closing her eyes as she shoved it off her arms.

The wizard had slept with five different witches before, and had seen his fair share of breasts, though as he looked at Rose's bare chest for the first, not one other girl compared. Scorpius' breath was stolen straight from his lungs, as he took all of her in, wearing only a pair of lacy knickers. Rose's breasts were as golden and tanned as the rest of her, and on the larger side for someone of her of petite size. They were perky and looked softer than anything else, with glorious, rosy nipples that were hardened by the cool air. Her stomach was very thin and skinny, and the bones of her ribs poked out, but Scorpius paid no attention.

Scorpius knew he had never been as aroused as he was in that very moment, though a frown fell upon him when he looked up to her face and saw her blush brightly with her eyes squeezed shut. "Rosie," Scorpius said gently, reaching one of his long arms up to touch the side of her face.

Her blue eyes shyly reopened, and Scorpius could plainly see all of her insecurities in them as she peeked at him through her thick lashes. So, with some strength, the wizard grabbed ahold of her waist and flipped them over so he hovered over her. "Love, listen to me," he instructed, his hand continuing to stroke her cheek. "You are the most beautiful, and utterly breathtaking person I have ever met, and I need you to realize that."

Though Rose only blushed a deeper color, her hands moving to grip his sides. Scorpius bent down and kissed her again, not wanting her to feel any insecurities around him. The wizard felt her slowly loosen up, and soon she was completely relaxed again. He then brought one of his hands down and gently stroked circles around her breast, getting closer and closer to her nipple, though never reaching it. Scorpius pulled back after a moment, and Rose felt her knickers grow wet when she saw the look of pure lust in his eyes.

Rose gasped when Scorpius dropped back down to her and kissed his way down her neck, leading lower until he got to the spot right between her breasts. And suddenly, Rose's world crashed around her as she experienced one of the most marvelous things she had ever felt. Scorpius' warm lips were promptly kissing around one of her breasts, when he kissed directly onto her nipple, sending sparks all over her body.

A loud cry left Rose, but she hardly noticed it as Scorpius continued to push her on, though the sound was like music to him. His pale hand went and continued to massage her other breast skillfully, tweaking her nipples in the way he was sure would send her reeling. The wizard suddenly parted his lips and drew one of her pretty buds into his mouth, wetting it and warming it with his skilled tongue. "Oh yes," Rose moaned out when Scorpius began sucking and massaging her pink nipple with his lips.

Rose felt everything, and everything seemed to be pushing her on further, spreading a fire within her. The hairs of Scorpius' beard tickled Rose's ribs, only adding to the sensations. Rose suddenly screamed out in pleasure and reached up to grab fistfuls of Scorpius' hair when his teeth came down and gently nibbled her. She did the same to her own lip, and bit down hard.

The witch thought nothing could get better, but then Scorpius switched his hand and mouth, and he began his delicious attack on her other breast. "Scorpius," the witch moaned out in a low, seductive voice, completely overcome by the pleasure she felt. Rose felt that she would surely be mad soon, but she would do anything to make sure Scorpius never stopped.

Her body pulsed with need, and her thighs were slick with her desire as she slowly rubbed them together. Scorpius continued kissing her breasts, biting them and sucking them at differing paces that were surely going to kill Rose. The witch felt tension build up inside of her, and she screwed her eyes shut as her body suddenly let go when Scorpius sucked hard on one breast while massaging the nipple of the twin. "Oh, Scorpius," Rose screamed out loud enough for the entire manor to hear as an orgasm pulsed through her, causing her body to vibrate softly. The wizard had watched every second of the glorious explosion, and felt a small pride knowing he had managed to bring Rose to a climax without touching her.

Her breathing came out in pants as she slowly came down from her high, her breasts raw and tingling. Though Scorpius slowly helped calm her as he kissed her gently, ignoring his painful erection that demanded attention. "Sweet Merlin," Rose gasped some time later when she was finally back down on Earth. "I swear you're the Devil in disguise."

Scorpius let out a low chuckle, and pecked her on the nose. "Well, if I'm the Devil, you are a sweet angel that seduces me every time you smile your gorgeous smile." Rose giggled as she blushed, smiling the telltale smile at him.

Just then the couple realized it was nine o'clock, and Scorpius' parents were likely already at breakfast, though both of them thought it would be impossible to leave his bed. And as Scorpius bent down and kissed her again, he hoped one day soon he would get to awake every single morning with Rose by his side.


	51. Chapter 51

Please leave me your ideas in the reviews and tell me what you think, also let me know if you are liking the longer chapters.

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A handsome smirk was branded onto Scorpius' lips as he held Rose's hand and walked out of class, just having heard one of her ever so awful jokes. The witch looked to him, her blue eyes entertained and wide, giggling along with him. "Mister Malfoy, could I have a word real quick," Professor Blackband said just before the couple crossed over the threshold of his classroom door. The blonde man turned back to his mentor, and nodded swiftly, telling Rose that he would catch up with her.

Rose sent a friendly smile to her professor, her auburn hair bouncing as she nodded at Scorpius and left the classroom. The witch took slow and small steps as she headed to the Great Hall for lunch, hoping Professor Blackband didn't take long. Rose smiled and sucked in a deep breath, inhaling the warm spring air that seeped through the open windows. It was the first week of May, and the weather was seemingly perfect, with the sun shining and birds chirping. Her steps shuffled as she walked and her arms slightly swung by her sides, her eyes lingering out the windows.

And maybe this was why Rose didn't notice how she had been followed since the moment she had left the DADA classroom. The witch was about halfway to her destination, and suddenly she heard someone behind her as she turned a corner and entered an emptied corridor. Rose turned on her heel when she heard a low chuckle come from over her shoulder.

She sucked in a breath when she found Terrance Macnair standing a few feet from her, twirling his wand menacingly in his hand. Rose swallowed hard when she saw the twisted smirk that Terrance wore, though the act only seemed to excite the wizard. "Evening, Rose," the boy said politely, and if he hadn't attacked Rose twice before, she would have believed that he was actually being friendly.

"Hello, Terrance, how are you," the witch said with a trembling voice, panicking as her mind and all reason she had faded away from her slowly. Terrance's eyebrows flicked up momentarily, slightly startled by the girl's genial mannerism.

The man leisurely strolled forward, until he could make out almost every feature of her pretty face. "I'm well, pet," Macnair said, plainly seeing how the name made Rose uncomfortable, as he had intended it to. "Very well, now, actually. You see, I have been needing to talk to you for some time, and it seems that you are just such a difficult witch to obtain."

Rose knew their was an underlying meaning to his words, though she couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised with how kind and normal the Slytherin was acting. "Oh, well I'm glad you've finally found me," the witch said with a slightly forced smile, lying through her teeth.

"Yes, me too," Terrance said, staring at Rose without blinking. "Perhaps we could go somewhere a bit more private." Blue eyes grew wider a fraction of an inch, and Rose felt her panic begin to grow again.

Taking a step back, she spoke up, "well, actually Scorpius is-" But the girls word were cut off by the small scream that left her as she was suddenly flung backwards by a magical force. Rose landed hard on her back, though she didn't notice the pain that shot up her spine as she suddenly found herself in an empty classroom, as Terrance shut and locked the door behind him. "W-what are you doing," Rose asked, her voice trembling.

The wizard looked to Rose and simply stared for a moment, smirking as he turned his head to the side suddenly. "Well shouldn't you know, being the best and brightest witch to ever live." When he took a step towards her, Rose quickly stood again, holding herself up on shaky legs.

"I want to go," the witch said, her voice quiet and weak. And when Terrance simply laughed cruelly and shook his head, she panicked. " _Let me out!_ " The lighthearted look vanished in one second flat, and Terrance was abruptly before her. Rose whimpered when a strong hand gripped her jaw painfully tight, holding her with a bruising grip.

Her heart was beating too violently and she was breathing too fast, Rose felt hopeless. " _Quiet,_ " Terrance spat at her, though he seemed to go against his own orders as he shouted his command. "No one will come to save you this time," Macnair said, grinning evilly. One of his arms wrapped around Rose, and he pulled her so tightly to him, she could feel his erratic heartbeat in his chest. The man laughed loudly when Rose simply pleaded and begged for him to let her go. "No way, pet… now, where was I?" The witch instantly began thrashing and fighting, trying to free herself from his grip, though it only caused him to become more enraged.

A yelp of pain escaped Rose when she was all at once thrown onto the hard stone floor of the classroom, grabbing her head as it smacked against the concrete. The wizard then was on top of her, his hands on either side of her as he straddled her hips and pinned her to the ground. Rose felt as if she was about to vomit when a hand suddenly groped one of her breasts and squeezed it painfully hard.

An ear piercing scream escaped Rose for a long second, though Terrace's free hand came up and covered her mouth, banging her head back onto the floor. The witch struggled and kicked her legs, tears falling down her face as she sobbed against the hand blocking her breathing.

A huge gust of wind entered Rose's lungs when her attacker's hand was all of a sudden yanked off her mouth as his body flew across the room and fell onto several desks. The witch continued to uncontrollably cry as she looked up and found Scorpius standing in the doorway of the classroom, wand in hand as he looked to Macnair.

Rose had never seen a single person look so murderously angry and overcome by rage. Not even when she had been found by her father and uncle years ago after being taken away by her kidnapper. Scorpius shook violently as he breathed hard, his chest convoluting with every breath. The wizard seemed to pay no attention to Rose, having forgotten her temporarily.

" _How dare you,_ " Scorpius roared, his voice booming with strength and fury. "I warned you," the blonde man yelled as he slowly made his way towards Terrance, carelessly and easily pushing the fallen desks out of his way. Rose looked on as tears leaked from her eyes, frozen to her spot as she watched Scorpius approach Macnair like a lion would stealthily approach its prey. "I warned you over and over again to _stay_ _away_ from her," Scorpius yelled ferociously. "And now, you're going to pay the price," the blonde man said with a laugh, and Rose was shocked by the cruel smirk on Scorpius' face.

Suddenly, the hell burning inside Scorpius broke loose. Spell after curse after hex was shot at Terrance, so fast Rose could hardly see the spell shoot out of his wand before a new one was coming. But Scorpius then seemed to decided he wasn't doing enough damage, as he pocketed his wand quickly and moved onto using his fists.

" _Stop!"_ Rose yelled through her tears, but it was to no avail. Scrambling to her feet, she felt a pain in her head and spine, but she ignored it. "Scorpius, please, stop!" The Slytherin seemed to hear his girlfriend, as he stopped for a fraction of a second, but ignored her as he continued his attack. "Please," Rose sobbed out, sounding just as desperate as moments ago when it was her being attacked. "Please, Scorpius, I need you," Rose begged, her voice weak.

Scorpius pulled back instantly, his heart weak when he heard the tears in Rose's voice. The man looked down at Terrance and found his face a bloody mess as he tried to cling onto consciousness. "You're fucking lucky she's here. Next time, I'll kill you," Scorpius promised as he spit at the crumbled mess of a body.

Though his rage was set on edge when the broken man coughed out a comment about how she hadn't minded him doing it before, and Scorpius couldn't believe his words. It took all in him to pry himself away and go find his witch. Rose sighed when he finally turned back to her, and the man felt guilt weigh down on him for not making sure she was okay earlier.

The wizard instantly opened his mouth to apologize, but Rose shook her head weakly, swaying on her feet. "Please, I just want to go," her voice was soft and frail, and Scorpius nodded without a word. He placed his arm around her to help her stand as his other hand wiped the tears that were still fresh on her face. Scorpius then knocked her knees out from beneath her and swung her up into his arms, holding her close to him. "I love you," Rose whimpered as she rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, counting his breaths.

Though when the pair reached the enclosed safety of her room, Scorpius blew up. Setting her down on the bed and quickly checking that she was not harshly injured, the wizard forced himself back a step, running a hand through his hair. "He did that before," he asked in a voice so loud it made Rose jump and sink back on her bed.

Nodding, her red rimmed eyes were wide and afraid. "Not as bad as that, but he cornered me. Luciano and Quinn found us and scared him away-"

" _They knew_?" Scorpius yelled again, sighing and calming himself when he saw how clearly upset Rose was. He didn't want to frighten her, he just didn't know how to control all the anger he felt inside of him. Rose was his entire life now, and it pained him to know that he allowed someone to hurt her, even for just a second.

The witch explained how she hadn't been hurt at all, and how they had wanted to tell him but she made them swear that they wouldn't. Just as Scorpius went to reprimand her from keeping secrets and lying to him, a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and he sighed in defeat.

Sitting on the bed, the blonde pulled Rose close into his chest, calming her at once as she climbed into his lap and hugged him tight, still highly shaken up. "Little lamb, you can't keep things like that from me, I need to know. I could have helped you or prevented that. We need to be completely open with each other."

The girl nodded in agreement, her breathing finally returning to normal as she drowned herself in his scent. "I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to do something careless," Rose whimpered out, her head tucked into his neck.

Rubbing her back with his hand, Scorpius kissed the top of her head, staying to inhale her sweet aroma. "I'm not happy about this, but you aren't the one I am mad at, doll. Just next time, come to me, alright?"

Agreeing in a heartbeat, the witch sighed, happy her man wasn't too ballistic with anger. "I love you," Scorpius confessed, answering the phrase she spoke earlier.

* * *

Hours later Rose was found in a similar position, wrapped up in Scorpius' arms as she rested against his chest. Scorpius had forced the witch to go to the infirmary after he has calmed her and she was patched up easily, unaware of when her boyfriend had stepped outside to report what had happened to Professor Longbottom. The two of them were then excused from classes the rest of the day, and Scorpius was put in charge of making sure that Rose got sleep, as she had refused to stay in the infirmary.

So, Scorpius had gently escorted his girl back to her dorm again, and promptly snuggled into bed with Rose after being ordered to by her. The anger he had felt earlier still lingered, yet it was mostly replaced by his concern for the little lovely. And there they laid, in the position that they always seemed to take when together. The wizard stroked his fingers through Rose's long hair slowly, as she slept lightly against his chest, her hand gripping his shirt.

A harsh rain storm had started hours ago, seeming to follow the mood of the Ravenclaw, and Scorpius listened to it with only Rose's soft breathing filling the silence of the room. The man was content to lay with the witch the rest of the night and ignore the rest of the world, but that plan seemed unobtainable when a sharp tapping was suddenly heard at the window.

Scorpius quickly looked down after hearing the noise and sighed when he found Rose still sleeping lightly. He went to reach for his wand and silence whatever the noise was when Rose suddenly awoke. It took a moment, but the witch realized her surroundings, and she smiled up at Scorpius, though she turned to the noise when she heard it. "What is that," the witch asked as she turned back to Scorpius with curious blue eyes.

"I'm not sure," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he gently moved her soft body off of his. "I just heard it a moment ago," Scorpius informed Rose as she pulled a blanket around her and sat up, watching him. The man went to the window where the noise was heard, and was surprised when he found an owl hovering just outside. "What in the hell…" his words faded off as he opened the window, allowing the bird in as rain whipped inside.

The owl squawked loudly, dropping what it had as it quickly turned and left back where it came from. Rose wordlessly shut the window again from her spot on the bed, watching as Scorpius picked up the envelope that laid in a small puddle on the ground. "What is that," Rose asked slowly, though she knew he was just as clueless as she was.

Scorpius shrugged as he looked to the other side, "it's unmarked." The witch suddenly felt fear and anxiety spike through her; she had a good idea who her delivery was from.

"Let me see it," Rose said suddenly, letting the blanket drop from her shoulders as she held her hand out. Scorpius was surprised to see a look of distress clearly displayed on her face, though he stayed quiet as he handed the letter to her. He watched as Rose quickly tore the envelope open with shaking hands, her blue eyes reading the scrap of paper found inside.

The witch choked out a breath when she read the words written messily on the paper in red ink. ' _My dearest rose, our time apart is coming to an end. Shortly we will be reunited… P.S. I do hope you enjoy your gift that is soon to come.'_ Shaking her head back and forth, Rose dropped the letter, a hand coming to cover her mouth. "No," the witch mumbled, roughly shoving the letter off away from her, not seeing when Scorpius picked it up and read it.

"This is him," Scorpius asked, though it came out as more of a statement. And when Rose nodded, the letter in his hand was crumpled under his fist, not noticing when he pocketed it. "Love, we have to take this to someone! Anyone, I don't care who. But you cannot just sit back and not tell anyone." Rose began to panic even more, and suddenly she had rushed off her bed and was standing in front of Scorpius, clutching his hand in hers.

" _Who_ ," Rose cried out, but when Scorpius opened his mouth she cut him off. "No one is safe to know! They will just go off and tell my parents and my family, and I won't let that happen. You weren't there before, you didn't see how everyone treated me differently. It was like I was suddenly a different person, I felt like a stranger and everyone was so scared and worried all the time. I can't allow that to happen again. It's bad enough you know." Tears were streaming down her face again, and Scorpius could hardly understand her through her sobs.

"Please," she begged quietly. "You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone." Rose bit her lip hard, looking up to Scorpius with big blue eyes that could cut anyone down. Scorpius sighed hugely, he wanted to keep fighting her on the matter, but he knew that she was too fragile at the moment for it. Rose smiled a heart breaking sweet smile at him when he nodded and opened his arms to allow her to fall into them.

Scorpius managed to lead Rose back onto her bed, and cradled her in his arms as he calmed her back down for the second time that day. After awhile he picked up the nearest book, and his alluring voice slowly read to her, one of Rose's favorite things. Her head was cradled in the crook of his neck, and Scorpius was calmed by the feeling of her breaths washing down his throat. A hour later, just when Scorpius thought Rose was asleep, her tired and light voice spoke to him. "Scorpius," she said, and when he hummed back to her, she continued. "Why do people want to hurt me so much?"

The question simply broke Scorpius' heart and he knew he would never be able to leave the angel in his arms. Leaning down he kissed the top of her head, and breathed in her scent for a moment. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "But I do know that I love you more than everything else in the world, and I will never leave your side. So you don't have to worry about anything, because I was made protect you, and that is what I am going to do."

Scorpius felt Rose smile into his neck, and the witch felt a sense of calmness wash over her in her state of sleepiness when she heard him. "I love you," she said happily as she finally let sleep take her away, feeling safe as she ever had in Scorpius' arms.

* * *

The cool spring winds blew gently, giving the warm air a certain pleasant chill. The tall bleachers of the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch were utterly filled to the brim, every last inch of room taken. The crowds were buzzing with excitement, enthusiasm rushing through their veins as they watched on the very first game of the season. This game would decide which team would be going on to compete for the Quidditch House cup.

"It's been an hour since the two fierce teams claimed their space up in the sky, to determine who will be the finalist! The Slytherin team is currently up by one hundred and eighty points, with such a great score gap that we haven't seen in over twenty years! The Captain Malfoy and his team are seemingly unbeatable. It looks that Hufflepuffs aren't doing too well today… they will need to improve by thirty points and catch the snitch to win the game." Colton Creevey's voice boomed out around the stadium, causing a large portion of Hufflepuffs to boo and complain loudly.

Scorpius kept his eyes sharp and open as he hovered high above the crowd, ignoring the annoying Gryffindor's voice. The wind was colder and harsh where he was, and the wizard's cheeks were tinted a pink as his hair whipped around. Scorpius looked down and flexed his hands as they held the broom, admiring the gloves Rose had given him for Christmas with a small smile.

The wizard was beginning to feel as if the two teams were being tricked, as not even a tiny glimpse of the snitch was seen yet. The Hufflepuff seeker Jesslyn Smith, a fellow seventh-year, hovered across the field, a smile in place as she watched the game below her, rather than the space around her.

The Slytherin felt off his game, he felt unconcentrated and distracted, and he knew why. Scorpius had spent the previous night with Rose, and after having received the unfriendly letter from her stalker, he felt unable to think about anything but her. He had left her early that morning, not having gotten a good night's sleep as he woke up frequently in the night to check up on Rose. The witch kissed him and wished him luck as he left, though she told him that she wasn't feeling too well, but Scorpius saw right through the lie and knew she was still shaken up about the night before. Rose promised that she would try to make it to the game, and apologized in advance if she couldn't.

Scorpius felt wrong leaving Rose in such a weak and unstable state, but he knew he couldn't miss the game. His grey eyes frequently drifted over to the tower he knew Rose was most likely in, and he wished of rest game to just be over so he could go and find her. The man brought his attention back to the field just in time to look over and see Jesslyn spot the snitch buzzing around dozens of feet away from her.

The blonde girl zoomed forward on her broom towards the center of the field, but Scorpius was too fast for her, and was soon just as close to the little ball as she was. The snitch suddenly buzzed away fast, twirling and looping as it took the two seekers on a complicated path all over the field. This wild goose chase remained on for several long minutes, and just below them the Slytherin team continued to rack up the points.

The golden snitch suddenly seized and turned in the opposite direction, and Scorpius was just a hair quicker than the girl as he pulled his broom around and soared off after it. Scorpius mentally cursed when he found Jesslyn by his side a moment later. The two bumped and nudged each other as they raced after the snitch, pushing their brooms to a dangerous speed.

Following Scorpius' lead, Jesslyn stretched out her arm and began reaching for the gold ball, edging forward on their brooms. All of a sudden the snitch turned and whizzed to the side of Jesslyn, enabling her to quickly snatch up the ball in a fluid movement. Scorpius felt his world crash around him. He hadn't not caught the snitch in a game in over five years, and it felt like a cold slap to the face.

"Hufflepuff has caught the snitch! Although, in a twist of event, Slytherin still wins the game as they are up by two hundred points. Congratulation Slytherin, you remain undefeated, and you will be continuing on to the finals. Let's see who will be playing the terrifying snakes in two weeks, the Gryffindors or the Ravenclaws!" The Slytherin crowds roared with happiness, rubbing their victory in the faces of the Hufflepuffs.

Scorpius ignored all the loud cheering and the congratulates sent his way, swiftly flying over the pitch and landing at the front doors of the castle a moment later. The man did feel a small amount of guilt for having not only failed his team by not catching the snitch but also abandoning them after their victory. Yet he simply _needed_ to get to Rose. He _needed_ to make sure she was alright and squeeze her tight.

And as Scorpius ran through the corridors to his witch, an epiphany crashed down on him. He adored Rose so much, his love for her blocked out the importance of everything else in his life. _She_ was all that mattered to him.


	52. Chapter 52

Hey guys, it seems no one has been leaving reviews lately, and I was wondering why. Do you not like my posts? I really enjoy your feedback, but when I get none I feel like no one is enjoying my work. Please let me know.

* * *

A certain captivating sparkle could always be found in the big blue eyes of Rose Weasley. And every time Scorpius Malfoy saw this certain shine in her eyes, he remembered all the reasons why he loved her so dearly. So, it was to little surprise when he felt his heart throb pleasantly as he watched the beautiful girl throw her head back and laugh, the sparkle present in her innocent orbs.

Rose giggled lightly after Quinn made a joke about Chandler Goldstein, her cheeks flushed as she held her stomach. "Oh, how terrible of me," the witch scolded herself for laughing at her fellow Ravenclaw, though a small chuckle escaped her after. Just then Scorpius grabbed Rose's attention as he told her how they should get going to class, and the girl nodded with the smile remaining on her face. The couple waved a goodbye to Quinn, Luciano and Zoee, having had breakfast at the Slytherin table that morning.

A small hand reached up and grabbed a large pale one, and Scorpius smiled down at Rose, loving the feel of her hand in his. The pair had just exited the Great Hall when they heard someone yell from behind them. "Miss Weasley," Headmistress McGonagall said loudly, causing the two to turn to her. When the couple was a few feet from her, she spoke again in a slightly hushed tone. "Miss Weasley, I am going to have to insist that you come with me right away."

Panic suddenly filled the witch, and she felt Scorpius' hand grip hers tighter. "I have Herbology right now," Rose informed her mentor, but Minerva simply shook her head. "Okay," the Ravenclaw nodded. "Is something wrong?"

The elder witch simply said nothing as she motioned for the girl to follow her, "we should get to my office right away." And when the Headmistress saw Scorpius come along with Rose too, she paused, seeming to think. "Yes, Mister Malfoy, I suppose it would be alright if you came along."

The trio then made their way down the long halls, led by a witch that seemed incredibly fast for her old age, as several students stared at them as they passed. Scorpius felt Rose's hand begin to shake as they got closer and closer to the woman's office, and he looked to find her biting her bottom lip furiously. The wizard bent down and kissed the top of her head, whispering to her, "everything's alright, love."

Minerva didn't miss the small, yet extraordinarily revealing exchange, and she worked to hide her small smile. "Fizzy Wizzy," the woman supplied when they reached her office, and the three of them slowly climbed the twirling staircase. Rose felt her stomach in knots, unsure of why the Headmistress was being so vague and uninformative. "Here we are," Minerva said as she opened the door to her office and led the couple inside.

Sitting in two of the three chairs in front of the large desk was the last people Rose was expecting to see. Hearing the door close, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter turned to face the new guests. Scorpius instantly noticed the grim looks the two men bore, and he swallowed hard, not liking where the situation was going. "What's going on," Rose said instantly, not bothering to greet her family as the anxiety she felt bit into her.

The older witch went and sat behind her desk, folding her hands on the wood surface. "Perhaps you should sit down, Rose," Minerva said, now on a first name basis with the girl. Looking to her dad and uncle one last time, Rose nodded and sat in the chair next to her father, sitting holding Scorpius' hand as he stood next to her, instead of taking the chair that had been added for him.

"Could someone please tell me what has happened," Rose said, not a fool to the morbidness that filled the air of the room. When no one spoke, Scorpius looked to Rose's father and uncle, trying to read their expressions.

Finally, with a sigh, Harry stood and went to rest against Minerva's desk in front of his niece. "Rosie, someone had died," the man said in a worried voice, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a single finger. The small girl gasped, and brought her free hand up to cover her mouth. Rose then began stuttering and asking questions, but her uncle simply held up a hand. "You didn't know him," Harry said, and though Rose knew that statement was probably supposed to calm her, it didn't. The witch looked next to her and found her father staring at the ground with an unreadable face, though he clenched his hand together in his lap.

With another great sigh, Harry launched into an explanation. "Rosie, do you remember how a couple weeks back the Daily Prophet wrote an article about the wizard who had been attacking people." The witch nodded, and Scorpius squeezed her hand, not liking where the conversation was going. "Well, the man has killed another person. The victim's name was Tristan Rochelle, and he had worked for the Auror Department for seven years. He went to school with Teddy, and was one of the department's best.

"Tristan was the leading Auror on the case for the man. Yesterday, Tristan was found killed in his home; surrounded by flower petals like the rest of the victims. But this time the wizard left something behind… he left a note." Everyone in the room watched as Rose let out a shaky breath, nodding her head slowly as tears filled her eyes. "Now, Rosie, this is why we are talking to you," Harry said as he reached into his pocket. "This is a copy of the note," the black haired man stated as he handed the parchment over to his goddaughter. Ron made a face as he watched his best mate pass the letter to his daughter, and Scorpius could tell it was not his idea to visit the castle.

Rose's blue eyes looked down to read the note, and suddenly every trace of the sparkle she held was gone. Scorpius looked down and read the letter too. ' _To my dearest rose, your silly father and his men can't save you now. Here is my present to you… enjoy. We will be meeting sooner than you think.'_ The tears that had been collecting in her eyes finally fell, and left a silvery trail down her rosy cheeks.

"Rosie, does this mean anything to you," Harry asked in a soft tone. The auburn haired girl simply shook her head, silent tears endlessly falling from her sad blue eyes. The man then knelt on the floor in front of her, placing himself in the line of her vision. "Sweetheart, I know this might be hard for you, but it is very important that you tell me anything you know so we can catch this man. Just tell me, do you know what this means?"

When Rose began shaking her head again, Scorpius spoke up for the first time. "Tell them," he said fiercely, grabbing both Ron and Harry's attention. "Rose, just tell them-"

But Rose cut him off as she yanked her hand from his and turned to him suddenly. "Stop," she whispered, and when he spoke again, she lost herself. " _Stop!_ You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone! You swore to it." Rose cried out, her words forming into sobs that broke everyone's heart.

"What is he talking about," Ron asked for the first time, his voice loud and hard. Yet his daughter did nothing but simply continue to sob into her hands. "Rose Blaire Weasley, tell me this instant!" Harry shot a hard glare to Ron, knowing Rose didn't respond well to being reprimanded.

Finally it seems that Scorpius couldn't take the silence any longer. Reaching into his pocket he grabbed the note that he had secretly taken from Rose just a few nights ago when she received it. "That bastard has been sending Rose letters for awhile now," Scorpius said sternly, feeling bad for betraying Rose, yet he knew it was the right thing to do. "Two nights ago he sent her this," the Slytherin said, handing the note over to Harry, looking down to find that Rose just cried harder, bringing herself to hysterics.

Scorpius bent down in front of her chair as Harry read the letter, feeling his heart break in two as he confronted the crying girl. "Rosie," he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders, but the witch just took her hands and shoved him away weakly. The push didn't do anything, and Rose looked into Scorpius' grey eyes as he spoke gently to her. "Love, they needed to know. You can't keep hiding these things! Don't you want to help stop this man from hurting anyone else?"

"I do want to help," Rose finally said like a small child, her breathing hard and erratic as she tried hopelessly to calm herself. "But everyone will be afraid of me again!" The girl finally gave in and allowed Scorpius to wrap his arms around her and press her closely to his chest. Rose gripped at his shirt tightly, and sobbed into his neck, wishing to be far away from here she was.

Harry looked to the girl as he handed the note over to Ron for him to read it, not understanding Rose. "What do you mean everyone will be afraid of you?"

"When he took me the first time everyone treated me like I was a different person, and everyone was so scared." The girl's words were mumbled when she spoke into Scorpius' neck as he rocked her back and forth.

Ron looked up when he finished reading the note, "wait, you think this is the same pervert that kidnapped you?" His voice was booming and authoritative, and Scorpius felt Rose nodded as she tried to snuggled herself even farther into his embrace. The wizard pressed a kiss onto her temple, calming her in a way that no one else could. The two older men shared a look, and suddenly it seemed as if everything came together for them. "How long has this fucker been contacting you," Ron yelled at his daughter, his fist crumpling the letter he held in a similar manner to when Scorpius had it nights ago.

"Ron, stop," Harry commanded, placing a hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder, calming him down slightly. The black haired man took a step forward and bent down to Rose again, rubbing a hand up and down her back as Scorpius continued to hold her. "Rosie, you need to tell us how long you've been getting letters from this man."

With a great sigh, the witch peeked her head from her safe spot and looked to her uncle with doe eyes. "Since the end of last school year." Harry's green eyes went large, though he quickly covered up all emotions from Rose.

"What," Ron yelled from a few feet away, blowing up in the way Harry feared he would. "This killer has been contacting you for almost a entire bloody year and you are just now getting enough common sense to tell us. What is wrong with you," the man yelled, his face red as he ran a hand through his ginger hair.

Harry stood again and yanked Ron away, whispering something to him in a hushed voice. The men talked for a minute, and when they were done, Ron seemed calmer as he crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in his chair, Harry returned to the couple and spoke kindly. "Rosie, how many letters do you think he has sent you?" Rose mumbled out the number 'ten' and Ron huffed, though he didn't say anything. "Okay," Harry said calmly, "do you have any of those letters still?" Rose shook her head, and grabbed Scorpius' hand, causing him to stroke his thumb back and forth. "One last question, does anyone know about this except you and Scorpius?"

"No," Rose said quietly as she sniffed, and rubbed her cheek against Scorpius' beard. "I've only told him," her gentle voice spoke, causing Scorpius to feel slightly pleased by her answer.

Harry nodded and smiled at Rose, "alright, thank you so much, Rosie. You've done wonderfully. Now, you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you have helped us immensely, and this man will be caught in no time." The witch nodded and allowed her uncle to kiss the top of her head briefly before he stood and went to talk to Minerva, who had stayed silent through the entire ordeal.

Scorpius reached down and stroked Rose's cheek, wiping her tears from her, highly aware of Ron's eyes burning into him. Bending down, he kissed her forehead several times and squeezed her tight. "You were so brave, little one. I'm so proud of you," Scorpius revealed, causing Rose to smiled softly at him and place her head back on his chest. The witch felt as if she was suddenly drained of all energy, and was horribly sleepy as she inhaled Scorpius' delicious spicy scent.

"Mister Malfoy," Minerva suddenly grabbed Scorpius' attention. "If Miss Weasley would like, you can bring her back to her dorm. I will be there soon with some draughts for her." Scorpius nodded and bent down to ask Rose if she wanted to go to her room. The small witch nodded, but made no move to get up.

A small smirk found Scorpius when she simply snuggled into his chest, as he grabbed her and picked her up effortlessly, holding her lightweight easily. "Wait," Rose said just when Scorpius was about to exit the door. The witch turned her neck and looked to her father with a weak smile, "I love you." The man's blue eyes softened instantly, and he said the three words back to her without any hesitation.

* * *

Several hours later, just after the sun had set and the stars had come out, a sweet sigh escaped the witch that had felt almost every emotion possible in the past day. Scorpius looked down when Rose made the small noise, as he held her sleeping form in his arms. The man smiled when he found his beauty soundly drowsing, with her lips turned up to form the smallest of smiles.

Rose had been asleep for a couple of hours, after having took her draughts that were hand delivered by the Headmistress. Scorpius gladly held her and allowed her to use his body to calm herself as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. The wizard was reading his Transfiguration textbook, as he had a test the following day in that class. Every time the which made a noise or shifted in her sleep, worry filled the man, but it quickly passed when he looked down to find her undisturbed. Scorpius felt at peace being able to hold the angel in his arms and being the one to protect her.

Though just when seven o'clock tolled, the witch awoke slowly, the tiny smile on her face replaced with a frown. Scorpius was unaware that his witch had awoken, and was highly surprised when her voice suddenly sounded. "It's my fault he's dead," Rose mumbled out, her fingers tracing shapes on the smooth skin of Scorpius' throat.

Just as Scorpius got over his shock, when he was about to speak, Rose cut him off. "I am the reason a man is dead." Scorpius was shocked by how much guilt could be heard in the words, and he instantly knew how Rose must be blaming herself for the whole incident.

"No," the man said after a moment of silence. "None of this is your fault." When Rose tried to argue with him, he cut her off this time. "Rose, tell me, did you kill that man yourself?" The witch instantly shook her head, and Scorpius went on. "Did you want that man to die?" Another shaking of her head. "Did you help someone kill him?" Rose shook her head yet again. "Then, please explain to me how any of this if your fault… Rosie, you didn't ask to be kidnapped years ago. You didn't ask to be stalked and followed. And you certain didn't ask that man to kill an innocent person."

Rose stayed silent, listening to Scorpius' words, feeling his heartbeat. "I don't want you, for even a second, to think that any of this is your fault, because it is not! You cannot blame yourself for any of this, and I won't let you." With a sigh Scorpius grabbed Rose chin and forced her to look up to him. The wizard felt a sadness weigh on him when he saw the tears in Rose's eyes, watching a single one drip down her face. "I know all of this is scary and frightening, but I am by your side, and I am not going anywhere. So stop worrying that pretty little head of yours, and just trust me." Scorpius brought one of his hands up and wiped the tear from her face, kissing the spot it had been.

"I do trust you," Rose said completely honestly. "I've trusted you completely since the moment you saved me from the old man in the alley that afternoon in Hogsmeade months ago. And I have never stopped trusting you."

Scorpius smiled down at Rose as his hand stroked her cheek, admiring how her beauty radiated off her like rays of sun. The man tilted her head as he leaned down and kissed her wholly for a long few moments, enjoying the sweet taste of her tongue. "I love you, my little Rose," Scorpius said gently, as he brought his lips back down to hers.


	53. Chapter 53

Thank you to everyone who left me reviews last chapter and put my uneasiness to rest. It can be hard putting your work out for others sometimes, and I am sure all of you who have posted your own can relate. Anyways, here is the next chapter, enjoy!

* * *

Menacing grey clouds rolled in and hung heavy in the sky, holding the threat of opening up and letting the heavens pour down in the early May. The air was thick, damp with a light fog that had settled onto the grounds in the early hours of that morning. Occasionally a low rumble of thunder could be heard from miles away, though most ignored the threatening noise, not bothered in the least by the warning of rain.

Thick tears gathered, sparkling like diamonds in her blue eyes, guilt and sorrow weighing down heavily in the soul of the iris'. Petite hands came up and buttoned up the front of the black pea coat that was fit around the slim body, and covered the simple black dress beneath. "Are you ready, doll," a deep voice asked, concern seeping from every word spoken. Letting a shaky breath out, Rose put an undeceiving fake smile on her face and turned to Scorpius, nodding. "You're sure you want to go?" The man reached for one of her small hands, and held it in both of his as he brought it up and kiss her knuckles lightly.

Thousands of thoughts rushed through Rose's head, and she felt claustrophobic and lightheaded, as she had constantly felt for the past two days. "Of course," Rose said bravely, though when Scorpius nodded and led her to the door, she paused. "Just… just promise me that you won't leave me."

Scorpius looked down to Rose with eyes that were identical to the color of the angry clouds in the sky. "Never," he swore to her, and they both knew his words went on past that day. The witch nodded again, her loose curls bouncing around her, and she smiled a real smile when Scorpius squeezed her hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead quickly. "Let's go then."

The couple found themselves standing in the Headmistress' office minutes later, both looking impeccably handsome, dressed in black attire. "Alright, this portkey will take you to the location, in which someone will be waiting there for you. Afterwards, Rose, your father or uncle will escort you both back to the castle." Minerva smiled kindly at her students as they nodded, in which she then informed them of how they should get on their way.

The feeling one feels during a portkey trip is unforgettable, and even though Rose had used the method of traveling before, she thought she would never be use to the sickening process. Scorpius managed to grab ahold of Rose and pull her tight just as they landed, saving her from what surely would have been a hard fall. It took both of them a minute to get their heads to stop spinning, but when they looked around they found Teddy Lupin standing a couple feet away.

The metamorphmagus smiled warmly when he spotted the couple, dressed in sharp black robes. "Afternoon," Teddy greeted, grabbing the couple's attention. Rose felt a sense of calmness wash over herself, knowing that another similar face would be with her during the day. The witch stepped forward and released Scorpius, meeting Teddy for a tight embrace. "How are you, Rosie," the man asked sweetly, clearly seeing the sadness written on Rose's face. "And Scorpius, it great to see you again. Of course the circumstances aren't ideal." The two men shook hands and grinned at each other.

Teddy then led the couple the distance to the funeral, and Rose watched as the tiny people, all clad in black, grew larger in the horizon as they made their way. The Ravenclaw slipped her hand back into Scorpius' as the wizard chatted lightly with Teddy, feeling her anxiety spike to an all time high. Though, she took calming breaths and held herself together.

Once the trio was just a dozen feet away, Rose got a good look at the small crowd. The witch noticed that their was near fifty people there, and a good portion of them were wearing Auror robes. She also noted that she was likely the youngest attendant.

The funeral was being held in a large, open field, that had nothing surrounding but green grass and mountains in the distance. The witch had never been to a funeral before, and she hadn't known what to expect. Rose swallowed hard when she saw the large coffin that sat at the end of the aisle that parted the chairs, sealed shut with flowers laying on top. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't breath, like someone's hand was wrapped around her throat, slowly squeezing tighter and tighter.

Scorpius looked down to Rose when he heard her let out a choke, and he found her silently panicking. The wizard stepped in front of Rose and pulled her chin up with his hand, forcing her eyes to his. "Rose," Scorpius said quietly and slowly, though it didn't seem to do anything. "Rosie, calm down," the man tried again, in a soft voice. "Everything is alright, just take deep breathes."

The witch was able to slowly calm herself down with the help of Scorpius, though her heart still beat fast in her chest, and her throat still felt as if it was too tight. "Rosie, if you want we can go," the Slytherin suggested kindly, running his hands up and down her arms. But Rose just shook her head stubbornly, taking in a deep breath as she pushed back her tears and wrapped her hand around Scorpius' upper arm. Teddy, who had watched the entire affair looked to Rose, and simply smiled when she looked to him with an embarrassed blush. The man was proud of Rose, but even more proud of Scorpius for helping his so called 'little sister'.

Just then Harry and Ron found the trio, along with Louis, who was an Auror and had known Tristan rather well. Both Rose's father and cousin were dressed in their respective uniforms, looking proud to wear them. The men greeted them, and Rose went forward to hug Harry, then Louis, saving her father for last.

Ron squeezed his daughter tight when she embraced him, kissing the top of her head as he held her tightly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you the other day," Ron mumbled into Rose's hair, not caring if anyone was listening, though his voice was low. "I didn't mean what I said, and I hope you can forgive me." Rose smiled kindly as she looked up to her dad, nodding her head. "Your mother sends her love," the man informed his daughter, and she told him to tell Hermione that she loved her too.

A minute later Rose's grandfather came to meet his family, as he was apparently a good friend of the family's. The man's sunny smiled never failed, even in sorrowful times, and he kissed his granddaughter's cheek as he squeezed her tightly. "You look beautiful, my Rosie," Arthur said with a wink, and Rose simply blushed, thanking her grandfather.

Just then the group of people were all migrated into chairs, as a thick silence filled the air. Tristan's father then stood to the front of the crowd, and thanked everyone for coming, hardly getting his words out as he tried to fight off his tears. The family priest made his way up next, a bible in hand as he hugged Mister Rochelle just before he sat down. The priest stood just next to the coffin, and began the speech that Rose was sure he had recited many times before.

The man's voice was deep and soothing, and his words sounded as if he was cooing a small child as he recited prayers. Tears filled the eyes of almost every person in attendance, as the grief of a lost loved one settled into their hearts. Rose was lucky enough to never know the pain of losing someone she loved, but as she sat and looked at everyone, she could _feel_ their pain with them.

Rose sat in between her father and Scorpius, and she held both of their hands tightly throughout the entire service. Both men knew the fragile state that she was in, and wished to be able to take her pain away.

The witch felt her heart ache and squeeze tight throughout the service, unable to think of anything but the poor man who laid in the coffin all because of her. Looking around, she saw the tear stained faces of all the people who loved the wizard, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for everyone's sorrow.

The priest's words slowly faded away from Rose as her mind betrayed her and led her to imagine how Tristan was killed. The witch shuddered, and didn't notice when a single tear fell from her eyes and trickled down her face. Just then a crack of thunder was heard off in the distance, but Rose paid no attention… her mind was too far away.

Rose imagined all of the different ways the man could have been killed, even as she begged herself to stop. More and more tears gathered in her eyes and made their way down her face, leaving shiny trails along her cheeks. Rose pictured the same man who had kidnapped her years ago, killing Tristan. And suddenly she realized something that she should have realized days ago.

That man, the same man who had stolen her years ago, was coming for her again. And there was nothing she could do to stop him. No one could do anything. He was coming for her.

A great shiver ran up Rose's spine, but she kept quiet as a mouse, letting herself cry hopelessly. Looking to his side, Scorpius was slightly surprised to find Rose with a tear filled face, haven't had heard a single sound from her. The wizard squeezed her hand tightly and rub his thumb back and forth, leaning down to her. "It's alright, love. I'm right here," he whispered in Rose's ear.

And suddenly, Rose felt the smallest sense of calmness wash over her. Scorpius was by her side, like he always had been in hard situations, and he had promised her several times that he wasn't going anywhere. Knowing this, Rose felt protected, though the fear still lurked in the back of her mind.

A hour later, Rose had managed to stop herself from crying, aside from the occasional tear that slipped past her. The crowd was slowly winding down, as people went and said goodbye to Mister Rochelle, Tristan's father and only close family member. The wind blew harsh, and the clouds seemed to get darker with every moment, though not a drop of rain spilled from the sky.

Rose stood against Scorpius, with his warm, comforting arm around her waist. She felt immensely grateful that he had come with her, having had feared when she asked him the day before, though he simply smiled and agreed without question. The group of seven was standing and talking, yet the little witch said nothing.

A pair of blue eyes trailed over and stared at Mister Rochelle, who stood a few feet away from his son's fresh grave, silent tears falling as he simply stared at it. Rose felt a painful amount of shame weigh down on her, knowing it was her doing that put that man six feet under the ground. So, wordlessly the witch slipped herself from Scorpius' grasp, and ignored the looked from all her family members as she walked away from them.

She didn't know why she was doing it, but Rose took small footsteps that led her over to Mister Rochelle. The man looked up when he heard someone approaching, and looked startled, as if he was caught in the middle of some shameful act. "Mister Rochelle," Rose said shyly, trying her best to push down the frog in her throat as she spoke.

The wizard, who looked fifty years of age with greying dark hair and wrinkled eyes, smiled at the Rose, though she knew it was the same fake smile he had been putting on for everyone all day long. "I prefer Joseph," the man said in a light tone, his voice shallow from having had it stripped from all his tears.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you, and I know you don't know me-" Rose's rushed apology was cut off when Joseph held up a hand and looked to her with wise eyes. The witch instantly hushed, ignoring the stares she felt cutting into her.

This time the man smiled again, and though it was just a quick upturn of his lips, it wasn't the fake smile he had given her before. "I wasn't busy in the least bit, dear, and I do too know whom you are. You are Ron Weasley's little girl, Rose, isn't it?" The auburn haired girl nodded, stunned the man knew her. "Yes, I've heard about you dozens of times before. You see, I work in the ministry, and I am close with your grandfather, Arthur. He has nothing but amazing things to say about you."

Rose blushed a dark pink color, twisting her hands together nervously. Joseph then stared at the young girl for a moment, and suddenly he seemed to break whatever was holding all of her words in. Tears sprinkled down her face as she spoke in a frantic voice. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. You lost your son all because of me," Rose wept out.

"Well that's most preposterous thing I have ever heard," Joseph said in a stern voice, startling Rose with his words. "I was told a murdering son of a bitch had killed my boy, not a little school girl." Rose opened her mouth to explain, but the man cut her off, seeming to know what she was going to say. "Miss Weasley, none of this is your fault, and I am going to have to demand that you get that stupid thought out of your head this minute!"

Rose's blue eyes were wide, but she bit her lip and nodded her head. Joseph then seemed to soften, seeing the girl's obvious discomfit. "Dear, I was told what happened, and I know that it may seem like my son was killed because of you… but he wasn't. Tristan died a strong, and powerful man, who helped people everyday. The reason he was killed is because there is a psychotic man roaming around out there, and my son was a target. But, Miss Weasley, I need you to know that I am not upset with you, because I have no reason in the world to be. I will miss my son, many people will, but it was his time to go, and one day I will see him and my beautiful wife again."

Unable to hold them back, Rose felt warm tears dripping down her skin. "Oh, I'm usually not one for hugs, but I think we could both use one right now." Joseph then stepped forward and opened his arms, allowing Rose to step into them and hug him. When they pulled away, the wizard's smile was bigger, and truer. "Thank you for coming over here, Miss Weasley, I appreciate it."

Rose smiled at him, wiping the tears away as she turned to leave. But before she took a step, Joseph spoke again. "Oh, Miss Weasley," Mister Rochelle grabbed her attention and he took a step forward, speaking in a low voice. "If you ever are faced with that awful man again, though I pray that you never will be, I need you to do something for me." Rose nodded, knowing that she truly would do anything for the man. "I need you to fight like hell," Joseph said, winking down at Rose again.

"Just for you, sir," Rose replied with a bite in her tone. Mister Rochelle then nodded to her one last time, grinning widely at her as she waved a tiny wave and returned to her family and boyfriend.

All six of the men watched Rose with tentative eyes as she walked back to them, most of them surprised to find her with dry eyes. "Are you alright, Rosie," Harry asked tentatively once she was back, his green eyes flickering down to watch her immediately take hold of Scorpius' hand.

"I'm fine," Rose said, seeming happier than she had been for the past three days. Scorpius felt light hearted when he saw the tiny trace of a smile on her lips, hoping that Mister Rochelle had said something comforting to her. He had seen the way she had been beating herself up, and knew she didn't deserve it.

The men began chatting again, and Rose leaned her head on Scorpius' chest as he talked, amazed when the feeling of hopelessness and despair that she felt earlier was not present. Joseph's words helped her self blame fade away, and though Rose still felt a tinge of guilt over the death, she knew it wasn't her fault.

Mister Rochelle's words echoed endlessly in Rose's head, and she _knew_ that if she ever saw her kidnapper again, that she would be the strongest she had ever been.

* * *

Taking the steps by two, Scorpius' long legs climbed up the staircase, breezing up it with ease. The wizard felt like whistling a tune, but he held himself back as he recited a password, and knocked his fist on the newly unlocked door. ' _A gentleman must always knock before entering a ladies room_ ,' Scorpius' mother's words echoed through his mind. But there was no answer, so he pushed the door opened and entered. "Rose," he called out, stepping in and shutting the door behind him, setting down what he held in his hand. Silence rang through the room, and a sudden panic filled Scorpius.

The couple had gone to breakfast together that morning, but Scorpius had left Rose to go and serve the last of the six detentions that he got weeks ago for his fight with Albus. He had only been four hours without Rose, yet he couldn't help but worry about her. The funeral had been three days ago, and though his little witch seemed to be almost back to her normal self, Scorpius knew she was still in a fragile state. "Love," Scorpius hollered out again, and he felt his heart fall back down when he heard Rose's pretty voice call to him.

"I'm in here," her light words floated to him. The Slytherin instantly made his way into her bathroom, where her voice had come from. Scorpius was highly surprised to find the little witch sitting in her large tub, which was filled to the top with bubbly water. Rose was face away from the doorway, looking through the textured glass of the large bathroom window. Scorpius looked out too, and felt a strange sort of comfort.

Since the day of the funeral, five different Aurors had been stationed at the castle at all times, keeping guard. Rose had thrown a fit when she found out what her father had done, embarrassed by the extra lengths of protection being put up. But Scorpius was on Ron's side, and thought it was a brilliant idea.

The wizard felt his stomach burn when he saw the tops of Rose's delicious breasts' peeking from the water, just barely hiding her nipples from his view. Clearing his throat, Scorpius made his presences clear as he spoke. "What if I had been someone else," he asked in a teasing tone.

When Rose spoke, Scorpius could hear the smile in her voice. "You, Dawson, Hugo, and Albus are the only four that know my password, and I think I can decipher your voices from each other rather well, thank you." The man smiled, enjoying the bite in Rose's tone.

Taking silent steps forward, Scorpius made his witch jolt slightly when his voice was much closer to her. "I don't know how I feel knowing that three men, besides me, can get into your room at any time." His voice was light and teasing, but he felt some truth to his statement.

A light, airy laugh left Rose, and Scorpius couldn't help but smile from the happy noise. The water rippled around her, and the smell of flowers filled the air pleasantly. "I'm related to two other them, and the other is the Head Boy; I know his password and he knows mine." A small hand came above the bubbles, and wet fingertips lightly skimmed over the surface of the water. "You have nothing to worry about, my love," Rose said, looking over her shoulder for the first time to find Scorpius standing a foot away from her.

Scorpius enjoyed the sound of the endearment coming from her lips, and smiled as he took a step forward and knelt just behind her at one end of the tub. "How are you, doll," he asked, whispering into her ear which caused her to shiver and make the water shake. The witch lolled her head back onto the edge of the tub, her hair tied up in a bun at the top of her head, telling him that she was well.

"I'm glad," the man said in a slightly distracted tone. Scorpius rolled the sleeves to his button up shirt up to his elbow, showing off his toned forearms, and the very edge outlines of a few tattoos. Rose gasped suddenly when she felt two cool hands suddenly rubbing her shoulders, which were above the warm water. Her blue eyes instantly closed without thought, and she bit her lip as she gave into the feeling of the heavenly hands.

Scorpius smirked when he saw Rose's reaction, continuing to massage her tense shoulders and upper back with skillful hands. "Oh, Scorpius." The words were moaned out and fell off of her pouty lips like a prayer. The wizard felt a fiery passion spread through his veins, lighting up his gut and shooting straight to his groin. Scorpius didn't care about anything else in that moment, he knew that if he didn't get another glorious sound from Rose, he would surely die.

Several minutes later, Scorpius had Rose like butter in his hands, as his lips slowly kissed everywhere over her exposed neck. With a smirk, the wizard slowly trailed his fingers downward, ignoring when he felt them start to ache from working her silky skin. Rose felt a wetness speak between her legs when she felt Scorpius' hands dip under the water, and slide down her chest, stopping just under her breasts, though not touching them.

The man continued to rub all around her mounds, avoiding the one place where she wanted him to go. Rose groaned loudly in frustration, a noise Scorpius found utterly adorable, and thrust her breasts forward. Giving in, the wizard moved his hands and elected a low moan from Rose as his hands fully cupped her. "Merlin," the witch whispered out, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as Scorpius kissed her throat and massaged her breasts.

A chuckle escaped Scorpius when he saw her reaction, but Rose hardly heard it through her blinding pleasure. A high pitched squeal, almost a scream, escaped the witch when Scorpius' magical fingers grabbed her nipples in each hand and proceeded to roll and pinch them. A pain shot through Rose, but the pleasure overpowered it, and the place between her thighs pulsed painfully, wet with need.

Scorpius noticed how her tanned legs rubbed together through the bubbly water, and he knew that they should stop before they got out of hand. With one last pinch to each hardened nipple, the wizard squeezed her breasts and trailed his hands back up her body and out of the water, drying them off with the towel that laid next to the tub. A sweet, endearing whine left Rose when she felt the wondrous hands leave her body.

Rose turned herself in the tub, and Scorpius swallowed hard when he saw a flash of one of her pretty rosy nipples. The witch rested her arms on the edge of the tub, and placed her chin atop of them, her lips in a deep pout as she wore puppy dog eyes. "Oh no, don't you even try with those eyes. You know they work every time you use them," Scorpius said as he leaned forward and pecked her lips, biting her bottom quickly. The man stood as he pulled back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Come out and dry yourself off… I've got a surprise for you."

Scorpius laughed when Rose's blue eyes instantly grew in excitement, turning to leave her so she could get dressed.

The wizard was sitting on Rose's bed when she came out a minute later, and his eyes nearly fell out of his head when he saw the state of her. The little lady was sporting one of Scorpius' Slytherin Quidditch jerseys, which fell down to her thighs, and nothing else. Rose bit her lip nervously, looking to the ground, too afraid to look up. Scorpius instantly felt himself go hard, and he knew that his witch would surely kill him one day. "Dear Merlin," Scorpius repeated Rose's earlier words, and the witch finally looked up.

Though the couple had been dating for several months and Rose was sure Scorpius' loved her, she couldn't help but feel surprised when she saw a look of pure _lust_ and _arousal_ in his darkened eyes. Taking a deep breath, she smiled shyly at him, showing that the back of the shirt indeed had ' _MALFOY'_ written across the back of it as she shut the bathroom door behind her and walked to the bed. "How on Earth did you manage to snatch that up, you cheeky little minx?"

"I may or may not have borrowed it from you when I saw it in your bedroom, just before I left the day after Easter." Scorpius looked to her with an impressed face, proud of her Slytherin skills, and not bothered in the least that she took the shirt. The witch simply giggled as she climbed upon her bed, suddenly finding herself surprised as she noticed for the first time what Scorpius was holding. Sitting across his lap was his shiny, wooden guitar that Rose had seen a time before, and a great smile found her face.

Scorpius found her stunning grin contagious and smiled back at her as she made herself comfortable, sitting Indian style next to him. "I thought you might like for me to play a little bit," the man said, strumming his fingers once down all the cords, letting out a humming noise.

With bright eyes, Rose wore a huge smile as she nodded to him. "Oh, that would be amazing," she exclaimed, leaning against her pillow as she waited for him to began using his magnificent musical skills. Scorpius smirked at the sight of Rose, her beautiful features brought out by the green of his shirt.

A minute later the man brought his guitar to the proper position and began playing away, pleasing Rose in the uppermost way. The witch sat back and listened, closing her eyes and letting the pleasant tunes flow through her. Scorpius played several songs before he said to her, "come here… I'll teach you something."

Rose eagerly climbed into his lap, placing her back against his chest as she sat between him and the instrument. The couple spent the next hour laughing loudly as Rose learned how to hold down the strings to an easy song, as Scorpius strung along, having a left handed guitar. The Slytherin found it terribly funny when he learned that Rose was rather rubbish with music, but her determination to learn shined through like it always did. Several hours later Rose knew the cords to a terribly simple song, something that pleased her immensely.

And as Scorpius watched his witch smiled and laugh over her shoulder, he knew nothing could make him as happy than when he was with Rose.


	54. Chapter 54

Please leave me your thoughts on this chapter, tell me what you think!

* * *

Standing on her tippy toes, a pair of pouty pink lips reached forward and pressed a lingering kiss to a bearded cheek. Blue eyes were wide as she pulled back, small hands still wrapped around a muscled waist. "Enjoy your lesson," a light voice said jokingly, a smile on the same pair of pretty lips. "I expect at least four facts that you learned about Transfiguration after."

Scorpius smiled back down at the beauteous girl, his hands loosely resting against her throat. "I'm sure I won't be learning anything you didn't already know ages ago." Rose scrunched up her nose and made a face at the blonde man, not wishing to part with him, though the thought was silly. A hand came up and slender fingers adjusted the green and silver tie around his neck, and Scorpius smiled, as he was sure it wasn't crooked in the first place. "I'll see you in two hours, alright," Scorpius said, and Rose nodded, biting her lip.

For some peculiar reason, the witch had a nagging feeling in the back of her head, telling her that she shouldn't part with her boyfriend. However the thought was purely ridiculous instinct, and Rose knew she had nothing to worry about; the castle was safe, and there was Aurors guarding the place. So, with a smile, she bid him a goodbye and good class, watching as he turned and walked the few steps into Professor Margaret Squibbert's classroom.

A loud bell tolled through the castle, marking the start of a new subject. The witch turned on her heel and started humming lightly as she made her way around the winding corridors, not having a class to go to at that time. Her hands came together in front of her and played with each other, twisting and moving unconsciously. The sweet humming continued, bouncing off the walls of the halls as she moved on absentmindedly, not particularly sure where she was going.

Minutes later the witch decided a trip to the library would be nice, and she walked on the balls of her feet as she made her way. Rose was only a couple hundred steps away from her destination when she heard a voice call to her. "Rose," a familiar voice shouted. The Ravenclaw was highly surprised when she looked behind her and found her cousin standing a couple feet away, perplexed when he didn't call her by her nickname like he always did.

"Al," the witch said softly, in a confused voice. "What are you doing here? You're suppose to be in Transfiguration, with Scorpius." Thinking back, Rose could have sworn she saw her inky haired cousin walk into the class just before her boyfriend did. "Did you leave class," she questioned when Albus said nothing. "You can't keep skipping your courses, you'll surely get reprimanded for it soon."

But her cousin simply stood there, blinking slowly and looking at her like he hadn't seen her in years. Rose was just about to speak again when he finally said something to her. "Come with me, I have something you need to see, Rose." Puzzlement filled the girl, but she simply nodded to the strange acting boy, unsure of his odd behavior.

The witch walked forward to him, standing by his side as he led her somewhere. "Albus, what's wrong? Are you alright," Rose asked, concern thick in her voice. Green eyes side glanced at the small girl, and with a single curt nod he looked back forward. Rose was slightly shocked when Albus slowly reached out and grabbed her hand, holding her small fist in his large one. Worry for her cousin pulsed through her, she knew something was wrong with him, but she couldn't figure out what.

With her hand in his, the Gryffindor led Rose out the front doors of the school, trailing onto the grassy fields of the school. Rose knew that they would without question get in trouble if they were found, and she could see the five Aurors guarding different places of the school, all looking at the couple with curious eyes. The nagging voice in her head was now louder, and it was screaming for her to go back to Scorpius, but she ignored it, knowing she was safe with Albus.

The wizard continued walking on, bringing her farther out on the empty field, a cool breeze blowing around them. Rose could feel eyes on her, and she knew the Aurors were watching them. "Albus, why are were here," Rose asked, her tone holding a slight bite to it. The wizard turned on her fast when she yanked her hand out of his after he remained silent. Albus simply stood, breathing loudly as his emerald eyes stared at her.

"Oi," a voice hollered, and the couple looked to find a young woman walking towards them fast, wearing a crisp set of Auror robes. "What on Earth are you two doing out here?" Two more men walked up behind, hard looks on their faces as they observed the couple suspiciously.

Rose was stunned as Albus suddenly whipped his wand out and stepped in front of her when the woman was a few feet away from them. " _Albus_ ," Rose said, appalled by his actions. "What are you doing-" though her question was cut off when Albus ignored her and yelled to the officials.

"Stay away," Albus called out, causing all three of the Aurors to immediately stop where they were, listening to the demand as they froze. "Don't come any closer, or I'll kill you!" Rose gasped loudly, bringing a hand to cover her mouth when she heard the evil words that Albus spat out. The witch grabbed his arm and was about to tell him to calm down when Albus looked over his shoulder and sent her such a mean look, she released him and she stumbled back a few steps.

Her white teeth sunk into her bottom lip to keep herself from crying out, biting so hard it drew blood. Rose felt her heart beat dangerously in her chest, as she tried to think of a way to calm her cousin. Yet her head was a mess of nerves, like it always became during hard situations. It seemed as if all thoughts flew from her mind, rendering her paralyzed.

Looking back to the officials, Albus' hand held his wand up high, not shaking in the least. The woman nodded slowly, her eyes glued to the man as her partners looked to Rose where she hid behind her cousin. "Alright, Potter," the witch said, recognizing the two students, as they were the famous war heroes' children… most everyone knew them. "What are you doing out here," she asked again, her voice loud and demanding, yet it didn't have nearly the same effect on Albus as it did on Rose.

The small witch shivered in fear and confusion from her spot blocked by the wizard. Thoughts raced through her head as she tried to think, but failed miserably as she always did in a time of panic. Rose looked back to the Aurors when she heard someone gasp, and found looks of distress on the faces of the people as they stared at Albus. Disorientated, Rose looked to her cousin, and panic immediately filled her when she found him changing in front of her eyes.

Thick black hair slowly morphed into thin greying dirty blonde hair. An average, slightly muscled body turned into a tall, slender one. And as Rose stepped to the side of the altering body, she watched as a youthful, handsome face transformed into an older, plain one. Her mind was blank, completely overtaken by shock and disorientation. Her mind screamed at her to move, do anything. But she couldn't.

"Don't move," the man yelled as he held up his wand when the Auror's recovered from their shock and stepped forward. Rose felt her breath freeze in her chest the moment she heard the voice, the same voice she had replayed in her head for years… the voice of her nightmares. And her head begged for her to do anything, to run or hide, but her body only stood there and trembled in fear. Everything she had prayed for not to happen was unfolding in front of her eyes, and Rose screamed at herself from inside her disabled body.

The woman held her hands up in a sign of peace, though the two men behind her were now holding their wands. The witch was still trying to recuperate from her astoundment when all hell suddenly broke loose. Just as the man reached back to grab onto Rose, one of the Aurors made a move and shot a spell at the man. The woman then yelled to the witch in an urging voice, "move, Miss Weasley!" But it was too late. He was too fast.

In the blink of an eye, the man had blocked the spell with a simple move, and turned to Rose. The witch felt her chest convulse painfully tight, as she got a good look at the man. Though the face was slightly older, more wrinkles in place, it was perfectly recognizable. The man in front of her was the same man who had kidnapped her all those years ago. Rose let out a cry as she brought a hand to cover her mouth, reacting too late when the man suddenly dived forward and grabbed ahold of her.

A small scream of surprise escaped Rose as she found strong arms wrapped around her, holding her petite body to his larger one. The witch thrashed and struggled, but the grip on her was as tight as iron. Rose kicked and yelled and pulled, but nothing worked. All three of the Aurors were now pointing their wands to the man, as the other two approached fast. Just as the woman drew her wand back, the man spoke up, his voice taunting and mocking. "Happy hunting," a cruel and twisted laugh escaped the man.

Rose let out a desperate, piercing scream as she felt herself being apparated away just a split second before the blue light of a spell reached them. " _NO!_ "

* * *

The bottom of a expensive feather quill tapped against the hard top of a table, the pale fingers that held it long and tough. Scorpius listened to Professor Squibbert as she talked on about the importance of proper wand position when casting any Transfiguration spell, not particularly interested.

The wizard looked up from his parchment when he heard his professor's voice suddenly pause, and one of his blonde eyebrows shot up when he saw Headmistress hurry in. The elder witch went up to Margaret Squibbert and harshly whispered something in her ear, causing the woman to look to her with horror plainly written on her face.

All of the students were now watching the two women, highly intrigued. Scorpius couldn't help but not feel surprised when McGonagall looked to Potter suddenly. "Mister Potter, I will be needing you immediately." All eyes turned on the black haired wizard and he shared a peculiar look with Frank Longbottom, who sat next to him. The wizard nodded and grabbed his books, shoving them into his bag as he stood and made his way out of the class with the Headmistress.

Professor Squibbert, who looked highly shaken up and nervous, stuttered as she grabbed her classes attention again and tried to continue on with the last twenty minutes of her lesson, though it proved to be highly difficult as the class was now interested and riled up.

Somewhere off in the castle, Albus and Minerva were already halfway to her office, taking hurried steps down the corridors. "I don't mean to be rude, Headmistress, but would you mind telling me what I've done this time," Albus jested, confused by the witch's urgent behavior.

"This is no time for jokes, Mister Potter," the Headmistress said seriously, supplying the password to her office, which they had reached in no time. Albus frowned deeply, a concern starting to fill him. The man full on panicked when the couple walked into the Headmistress' office and found it filled with several people. There was five disoriented looking Aurors, but the most concerning part was when Albus spotted his father and Uncle Ron, both dressed in their work clothes.

The young wizard rudely pushed past the Aurors to get to his family, "dad, what is going on?" Harry and Ron both turned to find Albus, and the looks of worry deepened on their face.

"I'm not sure," Harry said slowly and apprehensively as the room quieted down, everyone's eyes looking to the Headmistress. The woman took a deep breath as she went to sit in a chair behind her desk, her knees weak and agitated from having had ran through the halls of her school.

A hand came up and pinched the bridge of her nose, as the grey haired woman spoke to the only female Auror in the group of five. "Miss Ripoll, I would appreciate it if you could repeat to Mister Weasley and Mister Potter what you just told me."

The woman with cropped brown hair nodded frantically as she swallowed fast and looked to her boss, a hard look on his freckled face. "The five of us," the woman said in a shaking voice, motioning to her partners. "We were at our stations outside the front of the castle, about ten minutes ago, when we spotted Miss Weasley and Mister Potter exit out the front doors of the castle and walk out onto the fields-"

Albus suddenly interrupted the woman, speaking loudly by his father's side. "That's a lie! I was in Transfiguration class, you can ask anyone," the man yelled defensively. His father sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder, trying uselessly to calm his erratic son. Harry told Albus to let the witch explain herself, and he crossed his arms over his chest with a huff.

Miss Ripoll nodded, brushing short hair behind her ear as she continued. "We watched from our spots as the two of them walked far out, and I approached them after a minute when they started talking, with Greenberg and Dwyer following me." The mentioned men nodded, confirming the story. "When we reached them Mister Potter turned on us and began acting hostile. He pointed his wand at us and told us to stay away from him, or else he would kill us."

Albus went to speak again and defend himself, but a hard look from his father stopped him. "And a minute later Mister Potter transformed into another man right before our eyes, someone I didn't recognize. We all were armed but when we tried fighting, the man disappeared a moment later." Harry, Ron, and Albus all stared at the witch with indifferent looks, but all of them shared puzzlement. With a deep breath, Miss Ripoll closed her eyes and gave the men the last piece of information. "And… he took Miss Weasley."

" _WHAT?!_ " The redheaded man exploded, and for once Harry didn't bother to try and calm his best mate, as he was too stunned to even move. Panic, fear, dread, anger, disbelief, pain, horror, fury. Ron felt all of the emotions fill him at once, sending him reeling. "You're telling me some of my own men stood by and watched as a man kidnapped my own daughter," Ron shouted, the five Aurors shrinking back as their boss reprimanded them. "You all were trained to fight off the most skilled and dangerous dark wizards, and you thought to do nothing at all as a fucking bastard _stole my daughter_?"

The entire room jumped back when the man grabbed one of the chairs nearest to him and picked it up, whipping it across the room with all his strength. The fireplace exploded with a small burst of fire just then, and Hermione Weasley stepped out of the Floo just in time to watch the chair explode and shatter into a million pieces against the wall. The woman brought a hand up to her heart as she looked to her husband with an aghast expression, as it was obvious the damage had been caused by him. "What is going on," the witch asked in a tight voice, her eyes flickering to all the morbid and distressed faces. A thick silence rang through the room, and Hermione raised her voice as she spoke again, "would someone please speak to me!"

Minerva cleared her throat and asked for the witch to calm down, which Hermione did with a breath. Miss Ripoll then went through the entire story for the third time in the past twenty minutes, as Ron paced around the room and Harry talked to Minerva in a quiet voice. Hermione was covering her mouth with a shaking hand by the time the girl was finished with her story, as a single, yet heartbreaking tear slid down her face. "Oh god," she choked out. Her sob seemed to bring Ron out of his trance as he whipped his head to his wife, the expression on his face softening as he walked to her.

Hermione allowed Ron to wrap his arms around her and pull her into an embrace as she cried out. "My poor baby girl," the woman mumbled loudly into her husband's chest, fully sobbing. "Oh, my little Rosie." Ron rubbed a hand up and down Hermione's back as she cried, wanting to desperately cry himself, but he knew he had to hold himself together for her.

Albus stood back, and felt a single tear fall from his green eyes as he watched his aunt break down. He sat down in a chair and dropped his head into his hands, letting more silent tears escape. Harry seemed to be the only one who didn't let his sadness and fear get in the way of his persistence. "It's him," Harry said, and everyone in the room knew who he meant, it was a blatant answer, not a question. "He must of have used a Polyjuice Potion," the dark haired man said as he pushed his glass back to their proper spot on his nose. "Albus, do you remember any of your belongings being moved around or touched recently."

The boy looked up and shook his head, feeling useless for his answer. But Harry simply nodded, a fierce look in his eyes. "Miss Ripoll, would you mind supplying us with a memory of the event," the man asked, and the witch eagerly nodded immediately. The brunette also informed the man of how they had tried to trace the man's magic just after he apparated away, but told him of how it was blocked without a trail. She was then pulled aside by Minerva, who helped the woman extract the memory. Harry turned to the other four Aurors, and asked them for any other useful information that Miss Ripoll hadn't told.

Albus sat back and watched his father in work, and though his body was filled with anxiety and panic over his missing beloved cousin, he was calmed slightly as he knew that his father would not stop until Rose was safe and found again.

* * *

A pair of light blonde eyebrows furrowed, as slight annoyance and confusion filled him. Scorpius had been waiting in the spot that him and Rose always met after his Thursday Transfiguration lesson. He had been patient at first, but the little amount of that he had melted away after the fifteen minutes he spent waiting. Scorpius stood and was just about to go to Rose's dorm when a voice sounded through the castle, instructing every and all students to immediately report to the Great Hall. The blonde brows knitted together even tighter, and Scorpius reluctantly headed towards the hall.

The Slytherin met Luciano and Quinn as he walked through the door to the Great Hall, both of the two men looking just as bewildered as he felt. "Mate," Quinn said in a low voice as the trio went to sit at the Slytherin table. "Do you know what's going on," he asked, and when Scorpius shook his head, he went on, "some people are saying we're going into a lock down."

Scorpius' eyes hardened as he peered at the annoyed and abashed looking students as they filled the hall at a fast pace. Five minutes later, the doors to the hall were shut, as everyone was apparently in place. Scorpius felt himself panic when he spotted Rose and Albus both missing from the crowd, checking for either of their faces over and over again, ignoring the loud noise around him. The Head of each House then began counting all their students, and Scorpius instantly knew something wasn't right.

Professor Longbottom walked through the doors a minute later, looking flushed in the face as all noise died down and every pair of eyes turned to him for some sort of explanation. The entire hall watched as he fast walked down the side of the Gryffindor table and didn't stop until he reached Lily Potter and Hugo Weasley, who were sat beside each other. Longbottom hurriedly whispered something to the two of them, and the couple stood with panicked faces as the were rushed out of the hall.

Scorpius' gut was painfully twisting as he watched the three of them exit, and the discomfort only worsened until he gave in to it. The tall man stood up and ran out of the hall behind the trio, cursing under his breath, "fuck this." Several professors tried to stop him as he left, but he ignored them and pushed past. Neville, along with Lily and Hugo, turned back when they heard the doors behind them reopen. "What the hell is going on," Scorpius demanded, his deep voice loud and harsh.

With a debating look, Professor Longbottom sighed and nodded, "you better come along too, Mister Malfoy." The man then turned and began walking a fast pace again, and it took Scorpius a second to snap out of his shock before he used his long legs and matched the trio's pace.

The four of them were at the Headmistress' office in less than a minute, climbing up the staircase two steps at a time. Lily and Hugo were shocked to find Albus, Harry, Ron and Hermione, along with Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt, all awaiting in the office when they arrived, horrible looks haunting their faces. Scorpius lingered behind, standing near the door, though he was the first person to recognize his girlfriend's absence from the room. "Where's Rose," Scorpius asked loudly, his voice rising above Lily and Hugo's as they asked frantic questions. The two younger ones looked around and realized that the Slytherin was right.

"What is _he_ doing here," Albus spat out angrily, and Scorpius was shocked to find the man with a blotchy face and bloodshot eyes, looking as if he had been crying. Harry, who was standing beside his son, gave Albus a hard look.

The man was surprised when the wizard stood up for him. "Scorpius has just as much as a right to be here as you do," Harry said sternly, clearly upsetting his son, though Albus stayed quiet.

"Can someone please tell us what is going on," Hugo said temperamentally, his impatience flaring up. Scorpius was thankful for the boy's outburst, as if it hadn't been Hugo, it would have been himself in a minutes time.

Hermione pulled out of her husband's embrace, looking to the three younger adults. The wizard was apprehensive when he saw Rose's mother's face, as it was clear she was upset and had been crying. With a deep breath, the woman spoke in a cracking and sore voice. "Rosie has been taken."

And with those simple four words, Scorpius felt his entire world shatter down around him.


	55. Chapter 55

What do you think will happen? Leave me your ideas. Enjoy!

* * *

Mold. It smelt of mold. Dust. It tasted of dust. Wet. It sounded of wetness. Cold. It felt cold.

The thin skin that made up a pair of eyelids squeezed shut tightly, and the freckled skin that covered a button nose scrunched up. Rose inhaled deeply and snapped her eyes open as memories flooded back into her mind. A million emotions flowed through her all at once; panic, distress, fear, dread, terror, hysteria. A hand instinctively reached for her wand, but she couldn't find it anywhere on her. Sitting up on her elbows, the witch felt a stinging pain shoot up her spine, as her head spun dizzily. Her throat was dry and her body ached as if she had just ran a marathon. She was weak and subdued, feeling like she should sleep for years on end. And she instantly knew something wasn't right with her body.

Blue eyes fought tiredly, trying hard to adjust to the darkness of the room. The skin that wasn't covered by her uniform skirt was pressed up against cold stone ground, and she wiggled her toes, feeling them bare and practically frozen. A scared gasp escaped Rose when she suddenly heard a voice call out from the darkness, sounding near yet not close enough to frighten her.

"You've finally awoken, my dearest Rose," the hauntingly familiar voice called out. Rose shivered unconsciously when she heard him speak, memories of her childhood flooding back to her. Her eyes squinted in the dark, and she was slowly able to make out the faint outline of a figure standing a good distance away from her. "Oh, how rude of me… I do apologize," his voice spoke, and sudden harsh lights flooded the room, causing Rose to become blinded.

Her eyes squeezed shut again, as a hand came up to cover her sensitiveness. Rose reopened her eyes after a minute, and held back a gasp when she found the man's figure a couple steps closer, yet still far enough away. Rose found herself in a good sized room with blank stone walls, and only a great steel door on the opposite side. She involuntarily shivered when she saw a thin, dirtied mattress pad laying a foot away from her on the floor. The witch tried to say something, but her words were frozen as she took in the appearance of the man who had ruled her night terrors for the past ten years.

He looked just as he had; the perfect image of the man Rose's parents always old her to stay away from. Though the look in his dark brown, almost black, eyes was different. They showed all of his emotions; glee, excitement, happiness, elation, delight, pleasure. And seeing this was the thing that scared Rose the most.

"My, my…" his voice mocked on after a moment, his eyes scrutinizing her body like prey is observed as dinner before it is devoured. "How you have changed, my little flower. Your body has blossomed beautifully." Rose swallowed hard at the man's hungry tone, and looked down to find her tie and knit vest removed, leaving her only in her skirt and white button up shirt. The witch panicked when she looked down and found that the top three of her buttons had been not only undone but ripped off, allowing the edge of her white bra to peek out. A gasp escaped her and she brought her hand up to hold her shirt closed.

A sick grin spread across the man's face as he watched, a cruel laugh leaving his lips. "No need to be modest, my dearest Rose. I will see everything soon enough." Rose felt as if she was about to vomit, as pure horror settled into her gut, something she had only felt once before.

The witch's panic and adrenaline spiked up high, and she scrambled to stand on her feet, but she was simply too weak. The man laughed harshly as Rose tumbled back to the ground in a frail state, her knees and hands knocking against the hard floor. " _Please_ ," the witch said desperately as she felt tears pool in her eyes. "Let me go," she demanded as tears flowed freely and trailed down her face, but her company laughed at her pleading. "What do you want with me," Rose asked, despair leaking from each of her words.

The man shuffled forward a few steps, his old leather shoes kicking up the thin layer of dirt and dust that covered the concrete floor. Rose clambered away from the man as she hurriedly crawled backwards when he squatted near her. "You'll find out in good time," the man said as he flashed a smile, showing off slightly discolored and crooked teeth. "Now," the man said with a sigh as he reached into his pocket. "Time for you to get your rest…"

Rose's eyes doubled when the man crawled towards her, and she desperately pushed herself backwards until she reached a wall. " _No, stop_!" Rose screamed out loudly, flailing her limbs as she tried to fight off the approaching body. But the man laughed, as if he was playing some entertaining game. When his body was close enough, Rose put her hands on his chest and pushed with all her might, but the man had been expecting this, as he stood hard as stone.

Like a flash of light, the man had lunged forward and had a vice-like grip on her jaw. Rose let out a squeal of pain as she felt her skull crack painfully against the ground as it was shoved back, and a heavy body crawled over her and held her down. "Open up," the man taunted. Rose slammed her jaw shut and bit down as hard as she could, refusing to let her mouth go slack.

"OPEN!" The man said after a moment, and Rose cried out when he lifted her head and slammed it back into the ground forcefully, but she fought and kept her mouth shut. Her fight was over, though, when her mouth opened in a gasp as a hand came down and slapped her hard across the face. Taking his chance, the man poured the vial he held in his hand down her throat, clamping her mouth shut after it was all in. Rose whined and mewled as a painful tingling filled her mouth, and she was forced to swallow the burning liquid after the man held his other hand over her nose.

Rose gasped out once she had down the liquid, and the man smiled as he rose off of her petite body. "Forgive me," the man whispered to the witch as he stroked a hand down her sore and reddened cheek, causing the pain to only worsen. The witch felt herself slowly start to melt away, as she turned on her side and curled into the fetal position. Her eyes lazily watched, half lidded, as the man's feet walked away, fading into small black objects before they disappeared and she was in the darkness again. A loud bang sounded when the steel door was slammed shut, and the click of a lock was heard. Blue iris' stared forward, unable to move, and she blinked fast when she spotted the sparkle of the diamond bracelet that laid on her wrist.

Hopelessness overpowered the girl suddenly, and she allowed tears to slip out of her as she laid and held herself, feeling as if their was no hope. Rose's head felt light and far away, and when she twitched her fingers, she couldn't feel their presence.

Slowly, she faded off into the darkness, sobbing into the dirty ground, praying for a miracle to come and save her. Thoughts of her mother and father and Hugo flashed through her mind, and she let out a great sob when Scorpius' beautiful image came to her. "Please, God," Rose whimpered out a second before her body gave in and let her submerge herself in the black pit of emptiness.

* * *

Isolation. He felt isolated. Pain. He felt pain. Torment. He felt tormented. Suffering. He was suffering…

Scorpius felt his heart ache, it felt heavy and broken, like it had been squeezed too tight. Everything felt wrong. Everything _hurt_.

It had been three days since Rose had gone missing, and Scorpius felt as if he was slowly dying, one painful breath at a time. The Aurors had been searching for her for seventy two full hours, four thousand three hundred and twenty minutes. And she was nowhere to be found. This hurt Scorpius more than the worse pain he could have ever imagined. It felt as if half of himself had been torn away.

The ministry had sent out a full manhunt, sending out their best men. Aurors from different countries all over Europe came. But still, there was nothing. Everyone knew; it had been in the news, despite the Weasley family's best efforts to keep it private. The castle was different, colder, without the little ball of sunshine bursting throughout the corridors, smiling at everyone she saw.

Scorpius closed his eyes, his head pounding as if his skull was too tight. He sighed, ignoring the words of his professor as he tried to push all thoughts out of his mind and find peace. But it was all too much, everything was too much to bare. So, in a fit of anger, the man suddenly stood in the middle of Professor Blackband's lecture and stormed out of class, ignoring the words shouted after him as he slammed the door shut.

Long legs led him down the corridors, and he paused all of a sudden, staring out one of many glass windows. His sharp breaths fogged the glass in front of him, and he begged himself to calm down, to think of anything but Rose, and all the suffering she was probably feeling as he stood by and did nothing. The silence of the hall steadied the erratic beating of his heart, and he almost screamed aloud when the bell tolled out harshly, suddenly finding himself surrounded by dozens of students.

A minute later, Scorpius felt a timid hand on his shoulder, and he turned to find Zoee standing in front of him, a sympathetic smile on her face. Quinn and Luciano stood behind her, concern covering their features. "Come on," the witch said softly, smiling gently at the man as she grabbed his hand cautiously, surprised when he didn't pulled back. Scorpius allowed the tall girl to lead him down the halls, and he cursed himself when he realized he was comparing the softness of Zoee's hand to Rose's, finding his witch's much more velvety.

The Slytherin couple, with Quinn and Luciano trailing behind, quickly made their way down the corridors toward their common room. Scorpius could just _feel_ all of the looks he got as he walked down the halls, most empathetic and compassionate. But he didn't want their pity, he just wanted Rose back safe and sound in his arms.

The four of them reached the Slytherin common room in no time, and they all climbed through the portrait, none of them expecting Scorpius' outburst. The wizard had been thinking of nothing when he looked up as he entered the room, and found himself eye level with the one person he wanted to see least. And instantly all the rage and hate he had felt in the past three days flared up and pumped through his veins.

"It was you!" Scorpius screamed, yanking his hand out of Zoee's as he raced forward. Terrance Macnair's eyes grew in size, as he found Scorpius rushing towards him with a look of murder in his eyes. Luckily for the Slytherin, Quinn and Luciano were able to grab ahold of their seemingly psychotic friend before he did something that would land himself in a cell at Azkaban.

The blonde man ignored his mates as they tried to calm him with words, holding him back with all their power. "I know it was you," Scorpius screamed, and even when he remembered that it was nearly impossible that he did it, as Terrance was in class with him when it happened, he couldn't contain himself. The wizard suddenly felt a sense of peacefulness wash over him, and he knew he had been hexed by someone, yet his anger still raged on inside of him.

His strong body stopped fighting against the restraints, and Scorpius was hurriedly escorted to his dorm by Quinn, Luciano, and Zoee. Once in his room, the wizard picked up a large stack of textbooks, which happened to be Quinn's, and chucked them hard across the room, not that the boy cared about his books. "Mate, get a hold of yourself! What would Rose have to say if she was here," Quinn asked, and though it hurt Scorpius to think about the answer, he knew his friend was right.

With a few calming deep breaths, Scorpius managed to bring his heart rate back down and settle himself. "I'm sorry," the man apologized in a weak voice, as he sat on the edge of his bed and leaned his head in his hands. "I just," his voice cracked painfully. "I just miss her so much, it feels like it's killing me… I don't know how to live without her."

The trio of Slytherins stood a few feet away, and Zoee felt her heartbreak as she watched her friend. So, with timid steps, the witch walked forward and sat on the bed next to Scorpius. The wizard didn't flinch as the girl wrapped an arm around him and settled her head against his shoulder. "She will be found," Zoee said in a strong voice, that was almost able to convince Scorpius. "Rose will be found, soon, and she will be happy and healthy. And she will need you by her side; so you can't go losing your mind like you just did. Stay strong, Scorpius, have faith and know that she will be found… that's all you can do."

The wizard nodded, and for the first time and three days, he felt some tiny glimpse of hope shudder through him.

* * *

Several hours later, grey eyes stared up at the green canvas of a four poster bed, refusing to shut and give into a night of much needed sleep. Scorpius felt exhausted, yet the thought of sleep repulsed him. Rose was somewhere out there, needing his help, and who was he to waste time away. His hands laid by his sides, his fingers tapping against the soft material of his sheets, the steady beating of his heart was the only thing he heard over the breathing of his roommates.

Visions of Rose flooded his mind, sending a rush of serenity over him. Scorpius thought of everything about her; her ocean blue eyes that conveyed all her emotions, her freckled skin that seemed honeyed from the sun, her rosy cheeks that he could make blush without doing anything, her smile which lit up rooms so easily, her long wavy hair that held the hidden tints of red, her delicate hands that could stroke away anyone's pain.

And suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, an epiphany raced through Scorpius' beaten mind. The wizard sat up fast in his bed, his brain racing madly as goose bumps littered the pale skin of his naked torso. Grey eyes grew wide and a flitter of faith made his heart feel whole again.

Faster than he ever had, Scorpius shot out of bed and threw a shirt and robe on. His large, bare pale feet slapped against the cold hard ground of the castle as he raced through the hall, feeling a surge of energy pump through his veins. The wizard found himself in front of Headmistress McGonagall's office in record time, and he breathed hard as he stood in front of the guarding gargoyle statue.

An agitated breath left Scorpius and he ran a rough hand through his hair and shouted out random names of sweets at the statue, feeling more despaired with each word. The wizard was about to take out his wand and blast the damn gargoyle aside when a witch emerged from the staircase behind the guard. "Mister Malfoy," Minerva asked in a confused tone, her grey hair wispy around her as she stood in her night robe. "What on Earth is this about? It is three in the morning, young man."

"I am well aware," Scorpius mumbled out, "trust me, ma'am, this is an emergency." The witch let out a surprised gasp when the tall man hurried forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her back up the staircase she just came down to her office. Scorpius felt the feather like, wrinkled skin of the woman's hand in his, and he dropped it fast once they were in her office, shutting the door behind him.

Minerva stood a good distance away from the stirred up wizard, placing her hands on her hips in a motherly manner. "What is the meaning of this, Scorpius," the witch said, using the boy's first name to grab his attention. Grey eyes looked to her, and the woman could see every emotion that the wizard had felt in the past three days, and she couldn't help but let herself soften for him.

"I need you to get Rose's uncle and father immediately," Scorpius said hurriedly, wishing to waste not a moment longer. "I think I have thought of something that could help." The older woman looked to the boy with unconvinced eyes, and the motioned to a chair in front of her desk.

Moving, she went to the kettle in the corner of her room and with her wand, started to boil a new pot of tea. "Perhaps this can wait a few hours. I am sure Mister Potter and Mister Weasley are at their homes, sound asleep." And as the words came out of her mouth, she knew they were lies; both men had been working endlessly to find Rose. "Scorpius, I will gladly call to them in the morning, once you've slept-"

"No," Scorpius interrupted in a rough voice, "you must call them now! Do you not realize how serious this is? The love of my life is out there somewhere with a man who has killed before." Something about the urgency and rawness in the young man's voice set off Minerva, and she sighed in defeat.

The witch nodded as she made her way over to the large fireplace, "very well, Mister Malfoy. But please, take a seat and try to relax yourself in the meantime." Scorpius nodded, sitting in the chair posed in front of the woman desk, though the way he bounced his leg up and down and tapped his fingers together did nothing to calm his nerves.

Seven short minutes later, which felt like seven long hours to Scorpius, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were standing in Headmistress McGonagall's office. Both of the men managed to look wide eyes and alert, and yet tired and sleep deprived at the same time, with messy hair and ruffled clothes. "What's wrong," the dark haired man asked, fixing the lopsided glasses on his face, looking back from Minerva to Scorpius.

Looking to her student with irked eyes, the woman spoke, "you should ask Mister Malfoy. He rushed here not long ago and demanded to speak to the both of you, I have as much of a clue as you do." The witch sighed as she walked behind her desk and sat in the chair that so many previous Headmasters had sat in before her.

Three pairs of curious eyes set on Scorpius and he laced his hands together on his lap as he looked to the two men and spoke. "I know how to find her," the man stated simply, and the lips which had worn a frown for past few days flickered up for a brief second.

The two men had very different responses to this statement, Harry's dark eyebrows shot up and he wore an expression of attentiveness, but Ron frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, not believing. "We have the best Aurors in the entirety of Europe using the best locating spells to find my daughter, and you think that you have an idea that we haven't already tried," Ron said in a cynical tone, though on the inside he was praying to the gods above that the boy actually could help.

The Slytherin stood then, unable to sit in the blasted chair any longer, and he ran a busy hand through his silky white hair. "I gave Rose a diamond bracelet for Christmas," Scorpius started off, confusing everyone else in the room. "The bracelet is a family heirloom, and has been in my family for more than twenty generations, somewhere around six hundred years old."

Both men standing across from Scorpius nodded, still not understanding what he was talking about. "The bracelet is typically given by a Malfoy to the witch he is courting, it symbols the desire to become engaged in the soon future." The man stopped then, seeing the dangerous look on Rose's father's face. "But Rose and I had been dating for only about three months then, and when my father gave me permission to have it, I intended it as a gift rather than symbol of future marriage." Harry tried his best to hide a smile, as he could clearly see that the boy no longer wasn't interested in become engaged to his goddaughter.

"As touching as this is," Ron said, and Scorpius wasn't hurt at all by the slight rudeness in the man's tone. "Why did you wake me from the comfort of my warm bed at three in the morning to tell me about a bracelet?"

Scorpius brought a hand up and cracked his knuckles, a habit that drove his mother up a wall, before he continued talking. "Well this bracelet, it isn't just a normal tennis bracelet, it has old magic lingering in it. I remember when I was younger my father told me that, hundreds of years ago, the Malfoy men could use the magic in the bracelet to find out where their fiancée was at any time, to make sure of their faithfulness. There was a spell that the giver of the bracelet could use, which would lend them the exact location of their witch at the exact moment they casted the spell."

Harry's green eyes seemed to light up, and Scorpius could even see a spark of hope in Ron's. "Do you think Rose was wearing this at the time of her abduction," Harry asked, his voice eager and dire. Scorpius informed the man that Rose had never taken it off since he put it on her months ago, and doubted she wasn't wearing it. "Brilliant," the inky haired man said louder than necessary. "This is brilliant thinking on your part, Scorpius."

"Enough sitting around," Ron said, pulling his hands out of his pockets, as they began to dance nervously at his side. "Let's do it- let's find her."

Yet the two men worried when Scorpius then deflated, as he brought up a hand to run through his blonde beard. "I don't know the spell, I was never taught it." Everyone in the room seemed to visibly get let down, as if their one hope was crushed by his words. "But I'm sure my father or grandfather knows it," Scorpius supplied, looking hopefully to his Headmistress, praying she would pull another favor for him that night.

"Oh, you cause much more trouble than you're worth," the older woman mumbled as she got up from her chair, stretching her old bones as she made her way across the spacious office. "I will call for both of the Mister Malfoys, but that is your limit for tonight. Do you understand," Minerva said, though she would gladly call the entirety of England to her office if that meant Rose Weasley would be found.

Four minutes later, a shockingly well dressed and neat looking Draco Malfoy stepped through the fireplace, looking as if he was coming from a gala event. And ten long minutes after that, a matching impeccably well put together Lucius Malfoy arrived, looking highly irked to be woken in the middle of the night. Both the father and son put Ron and Harry to shame with their ability to dress well under pressure. "What is the meaning of this nonsense," Lucius asked after greeting everyone, well most everyone, in the room politely with a small nod. Draco, who the tall aristocrat man had looked to for his answer, shook his head, as he didn't know anything either.

"I think I've come up with a way to find Rose," Scorpius spoke, standing to face his family. And as the three other attendances of the room looked on, they could see the three stages of life that the almost identical men were in, as if looking forward in time twenty five years. "I need to know the locating spell used for the engagement bracelet. Rose is wearing it, I'm sure, and if this works we'll be able to finally track down where she has been taken."

Draco's grey eyes were skeptical but filled with hope for the idea of finding his son's girlfriend, and he looked to his father. "I'm sorry, Scorpius, but I'm afraid I don't know it," the wizard said, and everyone's eyes simultaneously turned to Lucius, holding their breaths to see if their dreams would grow or be crushed.

The wizard straightened himself out, sighing as he leaned some of his weight on the cane he always had by his side. "I was taught the spell years ago by my father when I was a boy, though I personally never once used it whilst my wife wore it, so I am not sure if it works. Although, I suppose giving it a try would do no harm."

A couple minutes later, Lucius had taught Scorpius the spell, as he had to be the one to cast it because he had been the one to give Rose the bracelet, and the wizard had repeated the gesture and phrase over and over. While he did this, Harry, Ron, and Draco all owled their respective wives, along very few extra family members, telling them of the exciting news. "Okay, let's give it a shot," Scorpius said after his grandfather made him say the incantation for the tenth time.

"Alright," Lucius said, his voice an one of a kind and unforgettable one. "You will put the tip of your wand to a piece of blank parchment after saying the spell, and it will supposedly tell us where Miss Weasley is."

Harry then rushed over to the wizard, parchment in his grasp as he anxiously handed it off to Scorpius. The air in the room was thick with silence as everyone held their breaths and watched the young wizard. Scorpius took a deep breath, closing his eyes and pictured beautiful images of Rose, letting her wondrous spirit fill him for a moment. And when he reopened his eyes, he felt calmer and happier.

" _Inveniet Eam_ ," Scorpius repeated the phrase for the twelfth time that night, but this time his wand matched his words, and a thin, glowing strip of black smoke shot out of his wand as he pressed the tip of it to the paper. A glorious sigh of pleasure escaped all but one of the people in the room as they watched the black ink spread across the paper, swirling and looping until it finally settled.

And as he picked up the parchment and read the written words, Scorpius felt that their was a chance to make his heart whole again.


	56. Chapter 56

Voices flittered through the room like birds chirping, all of them morphing together to form a quant buzzing that filled the air. The very beginning peeks of the sun were shining through the windows of the room, signaling the early hours of the morning. A rather large group of people, counting to nine in total, filled the room, most declining the tea and coffee that was continuously offered to them.

It had been two and a half hours since the location of Rose Weasley had been discovered, and frankly, Scorpius was about to lose his marbles. The six people who had previously sat in McGonagall's office early had moved to Harry Potter's office at the Ministry, minus Lucius Malfoy. The group was joined by Hermione Weasley, Ginny Potter, Arthur Weasley, and the assistant Head of the Auror office, Hans Dawlish, son of the former well known Auror.

Scorpius stood on the side of the room, pacing back and forth, wearing down a trail on Rose's uncle's carpet. His grey eyes watched as his father spoke in hushed tones to Hans, trying to formulate ideas. The other six were trying to do the same, all sitting in chairs surrounding Harry's desk. And though everyone was weary from lack of sleep, a certain spark of belief lingered in their eyes, their hearts beating with faith.

Being the youngest and more inexperienced in the room, most of Scorpius' words went ignored, though he was happy he got his way after putting up a fight to come along and leave Hogwarts. He knew everyone was just trying to figure out the safest and least problematic way to retrieve Rose, but his patience was wearing thin.

His rope of tolerance seemed to snap when he saw that the sun was now fully visible in the blue sky. "This is bullshit," Scorpius suddenly bursted out, his fists squeezed tightly at his sides, shaking as he tried to hold back his rage. "Are we going to do something or just sit here and let him fuck with Rose even more?" All eyes turned to Scorpius, everyone shocked by the boy's outpour and foul language. The wizard growled in agitation when his father rushed over to him, shoving off the hand that Draco placed on his shoulder, as he told him to calm down. "NO! Like hell I'll calm down."

Turning towards the desk surrounded by people, he directed his words to them. "This could be the exact minute that might save her from death! And you're all just sitting around having a grand time. We know exactly where she is, what are we waiting for? Let's get her! It's been almost four fucking days." Scorpius shook gently, overtaken by anger and desire, his breaths coming out in pants as he tried to rein in his temper.

Silence rang through the room, and the man casted his eyes downward, feeling slightly ashamed by his fit. Scorpius was about to apologize when a voice spoke up. "He's right," Harry said from a spot in front of his desk, having had insisted that Minerva sat behind it. "If we aren't ready now, we'll never be. We need to move, and soon. Enough time has been wasted," the man said, nodded his head solidly.

Green eyes looked to Scorpius, and the younger wizard let out a great sigh, glad that someone finally agreed with him. The plan was then put into action. "Ron and I-" Harry began, going through his strategy aloud, but he was cut off.

Hans, who stood a few feet away shook his head. "You need at least two more trained Aurors to go with you, sir. This is man is a registered Ministry criminal, and any attempt to capture him would be an official Auror mission. This means at least four Aurors will be needed," the man looked slightly afraid to talk back to his boss, yet he stood impressively tall.

"We'll take Louis then," Ron said suddenly, his brain seeming to be switched into fight mode. "He has been a certified Auror for more than a full year. I've seen him in action, and he is more than qualified." Harry nodded in agreement, and Arthur smiled at his sons. Remembering that they would still need one more, Ron spoke again. "You should also come, Dawlish."

The sandy haired man seemed surprised, but Hans nodded in agreement, happy to be acknowledged. "I'll Floo Louis now and see if he agrees," Hermione said, rushing towards the fireplace with the light that had left her days ago lingering in her face.

"I'm coming," Scorpius demanded, and the room fell silent. Everyone could hear from the man's tone that he was making a statement and not a question. His grey eyes flickered around the room, watching all the expressions of everyone.

Hans had just started announcing how bad of an idea it was when Harry interrupted the younger man. "Only if your father comes too," the black haired man said strongly, ignoring the strange looks he got from all. The older blonde wizard looked to his former school enemy, shocked by his words. Pushing his glasses up, Harry explained himself, "you'd be able to watch Scorpius' back. And I'm sure you've dealt with more dark magic then Ron and I combined. You can help. Please, Malfoy."

Everyone watched as the two men stared at each other from across the room, holding their breaths as they bestowed the strange sight. "Alright, Potter, but only because I owe you a lifetime of favors," Draco said, his back straight and his face set forward in a powerful stance. Harry smirked in the slightest, and looked to Ron for the stamp of approval.

Ocean blue eyes stared at Scorpius from across the room, scrutinizing him, though Scorpius stood and allowed it. "Fine," Ron spat out after a full minute, the words tasting like vinegar on his tongue. "But," he quickly spoke when he saw Scorpius smile, "you will follow every command and order you are given. If you step a toe out of line there will be retributions. You need to have a cool head, so you can't go acting irrational in front of this man, he is a murderer and will not hesitate to kill you without thought. Understand," the redhead asked firmly.

"Of course, sir," Scorpius said politely with all seriousness in his eyes, though his tone held a certain mocking bite to it. Just then Louis walked in, and he accepted the challenge without even blinking his eye, the strong Weasley persistence in him.

Ten minutes later all spells had been reviewed and a solid plan was made, they were set. Astoria, who had arrived minutes before and been informed of the events, kissed both her son and husband as they prepared to leave, as she tried hopelessly to hide the panic in her eyes. Hermione smiled at the woman and offered her a chair, just after she said goodbye to her own family.

Six men, all different yet most similar in ways, stood side by side in a circle, staring at a large textbook that sat on a raised table before them. A portkey had been made immediately after Rose's location had been discovered, which would take them to their alleged place. Scorpius gulped in a deep breath as he watched it glow, signaling it's readiness. "Remember, keep a clear head and don't attack first," Harry said, and Scorpius couldn't help but feel like the words would directed towards him.

"Now!" Ron shouted a second later, and all men grabbed ahold of the magic filled book, immediately getting sucked into thin air and vanishing on spot.

A second later all of the men found themselves standing in a large, grassy field, surrounded by nothing but empty land. Confusion filled them all, until they heard Louis Weasley's voice call out. "There," he said simply, as a hand came up to point far off in the distance. Scorpius spun and squinted, finding the faint outline of a lone, rickety farmhouse. Minutes later the group stood before the house, waiting as Hans silently blasted the door down, allowing Louis to pass him, wand before himself as he entered cautiously. "Clear," the man called out after a moment, and the group followed him in, all with their wands at guard.

They searched. And they searched some more. But sign of any living being was nowhere to be found. Ron ran several magic detecting spells over the small, old home, yet all they found was dust and broken furniture. Every crook and cranny was checked, but nothing was to be seen, and Scorpius felt his heart deflate after hunting for ten minutes straight.

He felt so close, so fucking close to her. Scorpius gripped his wand tightly in his hand, threatening to snap the wood as he stalked around the creaky home. Hans had just suggested that it could have been a false address when Scorpius came across just what he needed.

The toe of his black, leather shoe caught on something, causing the wizard to catch himself before he tumbled forward. A frown found his lips as he looked down and saw there was nothing beneath his feet but an old throw carpet. Bringing his foot back, Scorpius pushed it forward again, and found that it caught the same spot. Curiosity filled the man as he used his wand and pushed the carpet a few feet away, and his eyes grew in size when he saw what was beneath it.

"I've got it," Scorpius yelled enthusiastically, causing all of the other five men to rush to his voice. Looking down, they all saw a huge door that laid on the wooden floor, a rusted metal lock in place. "This is it," the blonde man spoke again, as everyone else was rendered speechless. "I know this is it." A thrill of anticipation rushed through Scorpius, and his heart beat fast with the thought of being so close to getting his Rose back.

* * *

A pounding filled her head, a pain shot up her body every time she moved, a stinging pulsed behind her eyes, her fingers felt frozen off, her stomach ached witch the need of food and her throat was as dry as parchment. Rose was drowned with feeling of desperation and forlorning, feeling that the idea of her savior was useless. She thought it had been days, but for all she knew it could have been weeks, as she was blind to time in her darkness.

The thought of death had crossed her mind time and time again, every time her kidnapper came to her. He visited her quite often, though he never revealed his plans. And he hurt her. He hurt her more than she had ever been hurt. He always used his body, never manipulating his magic to do the deeds. He hit her, and kicked her, and punched her, and spit on her, and he threw her around as if she was a small ragdoll, made only for his abuse.

Rose cried and wept for him to stop, no longer bothering to beg for release, as she knew this wouldn't come. Her body was littered with bruises, and Rose became so use to the blows she received, she hardly even flinched when he came to hurt her. She was sure her nose was broken from the fiery pain and loud crack she heard the day before when the man kicked her hard in the face, causing blood to pour from her for hours. She was always given the same vile potion every few hours, which kept her numb and pliable, weak. He laughed at Rose, and mocked her, telling her how she wasn't loved, as if she was she would surely have been rescued sooner.

And she believed him.

It all felt like a nightmare, something she couldn't wake up from no matter how hard she tried. Death felt like a good solution, Rose thought as she laid on the thin mattress pad, having given into it's comforts. She blinked slowly, still feeling the sharp effects of her poison. Her breaths were shallow, sounding as if she was sleeping, but she wasn't. She hadn't slept for a moment since her arrival, only having passed in and out of consciousness. Rose dreamt for sleep, and food, and water, and the safety of her mother's embrace. But those were weak thoughts in the back of her mind, overpowered by her pain and hurting.

The witch paused her breathing when she heard a noise, the faint sound of footsteps stomping about above her head. But before her excitement and hope could reach her head, the thought and reality of it all caught up to her. The likelihood that those footsteps belonged to someone other than her snatcher was slim to none. Rose started her slow breathing again, unable to do anything but allow herself to breath and watch dust particles float through the musty air.

Minutes passed by in silence, only the occasional loud growl of Rose's stomach making noise, when she suddenly heard footsteps again, though this time they were with her and not far away. The steps got closer and soon the thick door opened with a creak, and a figure was standing in the light that shone from beyond her room. Rose tried hard to pick her head up and look at his face, but her muscles simply quivered and shook as she tried.

"Our guests have finally arrived," his evocative voice spoke, as he shuffled further into the room. Thoughts raced through the girl's mind, and the prospect of being rescued lightened her heart. "I won't lie, I had expected them sooner, but I suppose you weren't their top priority, my dearest Rose. I'm sure they be thrilled to know I've kept you sheltered and happy in the meantime." Rose would have laughed at the outrageous statement, if she had any strength, yet all she did was lay and blink forward.

The man knelt before Rose and placed a hand on her cheek, but this time the witch pulled weakly out of his grasp. "Come on," he said, excitement lacing his words. "We wouldn't want to keep them waiting." The wizard then bent forward and scooped up the girl's body into his arms, feeling how drastically lighter she felt from just days ago. Rose let out a groan of protest, moving her arms to his chest as she gave a feeble shove. Her head lolled back, her hair hung in a long mess off the man's arm, knotted and tangled.

Rose was carried down a maze of short corridors, and above her she swore she heard more footsteps. Her heart skipped beats, she prayed that someone would find her and rescue her from the prison she was in. The man carried her to a large room that was totally empty, dust and dirt the only two accessories of the space. She spotted a colorful blur on the ground, but her eyes were too out of focus and weary to see. Rose's breathing fastened when she heard a loud bang, and she struggled to free herself, but she was simply too tired and the man laughed at her childish attempts.

Voices. The witch felt like crying out when she heard voices in the other room, and she held her breath and listened as they cautiously approached. Rose's eyes swelled with tears from all her emotions rushing through her, and she let out a sob when she thought she heard her cousin Louis' voice. Her heart suddenly bursted out of her chest when the door to the room she was in blasted down, and several figures made their way in, freezing when they saw what the room beheld. "Rosie," the familiar voice of her cousin shouted out, followed by the sound of gasps as all six men found themselves in the room.

Tears poured down the girl's face, and she choked out a laugh, silently thanking Merlin for his gift. "Daddy," she whimpered when she spotted the unmistakable form of her father, causing the man who held her to chuckle meanly.

Scorpius felt his stomach churn in the most painful of ways, as his throat closed up when he saw his witch. Rose looked terrible. Her bones poked from beneath her more than usual, her skin was pale and grey, and she looked lifeless, like a corpse. He wondered why she didn't move, jump from the man's arms, but he found his answer when he saw the tired and sick look in Rose's eyes. A single tear fell from him as he looked to his girl, all his pent up fear for her escaping him… which was quickly replaced with a frenzied feeling.

He then spotted how the ground was littered with hundreds and thousands of flower petals, and Scorpius had no doubt it was the same sick fuck who had stole Rose when she was younger.

"Gentleman," the man who held Rose greeted, smiling wickedly at the group. Ron stood in the front, looking impressively calmed compared to the storm he felt raging inside him. "It's good of you to finally join Miss Rose and I, and I must say what a surprisingly pleasing clan you've come up with. Both the Malfoy senior and junior present too… how delightful." All six of the men stood, not saying a word, though they all ached to plunge forward and attack.

Harry was the first to speak, and he did so in an incredibly calm and civilized voice. "Who are you," the man asked, eyeing the wizard who held his niece in his arms.

"Oh," the man said gleefully just after, "how ill-mannered of me. Allow me to introduce myself." A short, yet loud scream left Rose when she was suddenly dropped straight out of the man's arms, falling hard onto the floor in a pile of skinny bones and rose petals. Scorpius flinched back when he heard Rose's yelp of pain, followed by the sick sound of her skull colliding with the concrete floor. Draco was forced to put a hand on his chest when Scorpius made a move forward after the man kicked Rose lightly as he stepped over her body.

Ron stood hard and still as stone as the man approached him, just a few inches taller than him. "Damien DeVille," the nameless man introduced himself, offering his hand forward. Ron never met it, though, as he was too astounded to even move. Scorpius noticed that his father had a same reaction as he looked to the man with awe, his grey eyes staring hard. After a minute the man dropped his hand, laughing in his grating voice. "I see you still remember me," Damien said, overjoyed.

The man walked back a step, his eyes traveling over all the wizard's faces before he spoke again. "How could you forget," the man said, his eyes darkening to coal. "It was only twenty years ago, after all." Scorpius stayed silent, as did Louis and Hans, who both hadn't a clue what the man was talking about.

Ron clenched his fists tightly as he watched the man turn and walk away, stopping when he was behind Rose's body, which shivered lightly on the icy ground. "Would you like to know, my dearest Rose," Damien cooed to the witch, as he bent down next to her, stretching a hand out to pull the hair out of her face. "You asked me over and over why I took you, and now you'll know."

Rose listened to the voice, it came in and out, sounding far off then right up close to her. She felt cold, too cold. Her head spun as she wondered why she was still in the evil man's basement. "Your daddy over there was the man who made the decision to kill my father. The court wanted to send him to Azkaban like all the other killers of the war, but oh no, that wasn't enough for you, was it?" Damien looked up to Ron, evil lingering in his eyes. "Your daddy made the decision to ship my father off to receive the kiss and die." The man bent down lower and pressed his lips against Rose's ear. " _HE KILLED MY FATHER_!" Damien then screamed with all his might into her ear, causing the little witch to flinch and pull away.

"And now," the wizard said with a sigh as he stood again, "I'll do the same to you." Scorpius felt his blood boil, and the hand that held his wand shook violently, he fought hard to hold himself back from ripping the man to shreds. Harry took one small step forward, his hands held up in peace, when suddenly Damien moved. " _Carpe Retractum_ ," he yelled and roped shot out of his wand, tying tightly around all six men as it shoved them against the wall and restrained them there.

All six wizards struggled against their ropes, but the more they thrashed, the tighter material dug into them. Scorpius breathed loudly, almost growling, as he pulled and yanked at his ropes, not believing they had been tricked so easily. With a smirk implanted to his face, Damien walked over to Ron, and brought his face inches away. "I watched Rose for years, I followed her and viewed her every move. I planned out my capture perfectly. And now, I have you in my grasp, just like you should be." Damien smiled widely, bringing his wand up and sticking it hard into the freckled skin of Ron's throat. "Now _you_ can watch as I kill your precious little daughter," he said with a great laugh. Ron opened his mouth to yell back at the man, but found himself voiceless, which only caused him to fight harder. Harry began speaking to the man, trying to convince him to stop and release Rose, but Damien heard none of it.

Scorpius felt useless and hopeless; he wanted to do something, _anything,_ but was stuck. He couldn't help but notice how out of place the sick and weak girl looked surrounded by lively pretty flowers. The wizard struggled yet again, but nothing worked.

Rose whimpered from her spot on the ground, feeling her terror return to her as she watched her loved ones get rendered useless. Returning to Rose, Damien grabbed her by her skinny arm and roughly dragged her across the filthy ground, sweeping petals as he went, and dropping her arm back down when she laid just a few feet away from the men. Looking back to the wall of her saviors, the evil wizard slowly paced down the length of the wall, putting his face just inches away from each man. A low chuckle left Damien when Scorpius pulled hard on his restraints when he stood in front of the Slytherin, a look of pure rage in his steel eyes.

Spinning around on his heel, Damien sucked in a deep breath as he pointed his wand to the witch and yelled out a spell. " _Crucio_ ," the wizard called, and a deep red light shot out of the man's wand at once, spiraling towards Rose until it hit her and lit her entire body up.

A horrifying, blood curdling scream escaped the girl, as she writhed and twitched in agony on the floor. Pain was all Rose knew. Pain consumed her body and her mind. It felt like a fire had been set on her insides, and she thrashed on the floor, trying to find some release. But she found none. Knives pierced every inch of her flesh, and it felt as if her skin was being peeled off her layer by thin layer. She screamed so loudly she couldn't hear it anymore, as her ears became deaf and her throat became raw.

Draco watched with horrified eyes from his spot on the side, as memories flooded to him. He was brought back years ago to when he was forced to watched the girl's mother get tortured by his aunt on the floor of his drawing room, as he stood by and did nothing. The wizard knew he couldn't let this happen again.

After a full minute, which felt like years for Rose, Damien released the spell, and the witch rolled on her side. Tears flowed from her as she allowed herself to sob loudly, her body numb from the pain. Her tiny figure was convulsing on the floor as Damien approached her. "Don't worry, my dearest Rose, it's only it's only just begun," the man said, and laughed noisily as he drew his foot back and swung it forward, hard.

All six men flinched when they heard the snapping of Rose's ribs as they broken, followed by her cry of pain as the man then leaned his foot atop the newly broken bones and stepped upon them, applying all his weight. Her tears only came faster and her crying got louder, Rose tried to move but she was no longer in control of her body. Scorpius was unable to hold himself back when Damien hurt her next. Grey eyes watched as the man used his foot again, and stomped hard on the girl's lower leg, and again the tell tale cracking of a bone was heard.

"STOP," Scorpius yelled out when the man went to repeat himself. "Stop," he cried out again, as a single tear escaped him. His heart felt as if it was being stabbed again and again as he watched the love of his life get tortured helplessly in front of him. "Take me, please! I'll do anything, just please stop hurting her!" Damien looked to Scorpius, shocked by the boy's words.

Scorpius felt rage fill him when he saw the sick smile on the man's face. "What's this, Rose? Have you got yourself an admirer? I do think he loves you," Damien teased, cackling along. The older wizard walked up to Scorpius, "as much as it would please me to also hurt your father, you are just going to have to wait until I'm done with my Rose before you have your turn."

" _Don't_ ," Rose managed to cough out, and her throat instantly felt lit with fire after she spoke. Damien laughed even harder, winking at Scorpius and his father before he moved back over to the witch.

Ron's scream was mute as he watched the man approached his daughter again, and all at once kick her as hard as he could manage in the skull. A weak yelp of pain left Rose, and a hand came up to cradle her aching head. Harry felt panic fill him when he saw a pool of blood slowly start to leak from Rose's head, making a small puddle of red. He knew she needed medical attention right away, yet couldn't do anything but stand by and watch. "Such a shame," Damien said as he bent low next to Rose, bringing a hand up to stroke down her dirtied cheek. "She really is such a beauty," he said with a look towards Ron, "perhaps if your father wasn't a killing bastard I would save you."

Scorpius watched on as the man stood back up, taking slow steps. Anxiety filled him when Rose didn't make a sound as Damien stepped the heel of his foot over her fingers. The witch didn't move at all, as she couldn't feel the pain over the fire that burned inside of her. "I," Rose started weakly, though she paused to take a deep shuddering breath. "I can't do it anymore," the girl managed to get out slowly, her words slurred together. Scorpius panicked instantly, and he began pulling at his ropes again, trying to get free. He saw the dead look in Rose's eyes and knew she need help.

"No, Rosie," Louis shouted from his spot on the wall, determination powerful in his voice. "Don't you dare give up! Keep fighting! You have to stay strong and-" Her cousin's words were cut off as Damien silenced him too with the quick flick of his wand.

But it was too late, Rose had heard him, and she thought of something. She thought back to the funeral, back to the words Joseph Rochelle had told her. He told her to fight for him. And in that moment Rose knew she couldn't let him down, she needed to fight for him. But she didn't want to. Death was approaching her with its wicked grin, easing her into its claws with lies of peace and happiness.

"I do believe Rose doesn't have much fight left in her," Damien teased, seemingly amused as he watched Ron struggle endlessly. Turning back to Rose, all the men watched as the wizard drew back his wand and cursed Rose yet again. " _Crucio_ ," he called out.

Rose felt it harder this time, it felt stronger and somehow worse. Her body jerked around, as she arched off the floor, her spine nearly snapping in two as she pushed herself into awkward positions. The pain consumed her and left her with nothing else to feel. She had never felt anything as utterly torturous in her life, yet Rose tried to keep grasp on her thin string of hope that kept her holding onto life. The fire grew more and more painful, and soon it became too much to bare, and Rose was sure she would die soon.

Yet the scariest thing was; she welcomed death like an old friend, simply wanting to find her tranquility.

" _Impedimenta_ ," Draco suddenly cried out, and Damien was just able to defended himself by a sparing second, forcing himself to release his curse on Rose. The blonde man seemed to have freed himself somehow, and his ropes fell to his feet as he stood on the ground. In the man's sudden confusion, Draco quickly turned and freed the other wizards in one second, and they all stumbled to their feet.

The panic and horror was written plainly on Damian's face as he suddenly realized what had happened. Though as Rose laid at his feet, she grew weaker and weaker with every aching breath she took, and this she struggled to do. The witch turned her head to the side just in time to see Scorpius pounce on Damien, a look of pure hell on his face. He looked like an animal, and the demonic expression in his eyes frightened even her.

This was the last thing Rose saw before her body gave into the pain and let her fall into the calm of the darkness.


	57. Chapter 57

Hey guys, I am glad to see most of you aren't too mad at me for last chapter. I promise you it will only get better from here. Please leave reviews, and enjoy!

* * *

A pulsing ache throbbed through every part and limb of her body. Her chest felt as if a hippogriff was sitting on it, making each breath she took shallow and difficult, and her head felt as if someone had taken a Beater's bat to it a dozen times.

Rose took in a deep breath, and felt a dull stabbing pain in the center of her chest. It smelt clean, almost too clean. And the witch could hear muffled voices far off, with some closer, and the steady beeping of something. The soft bed she was laid on felt odd, unfamiliar. Thoughts raced through her tired mind but she couldn't figure out where she was. Testing out her strength, Rose pulled at the muscles in her fingers, and felt them slowly lift off the soft material they were laid on, though they quivered and the act was entirely too difficult.

After another difficult deep breath, Rose slowly fought to pull back the thin skin of her eyelids, and she nearly groaned as the bright light of day blinded her. It took her several minutes but her blue eyes eventually adjusted to the bright light, and she held her breath as she looked around. Yet she couldn't see much as her head was positioned upward, and the only thing in her view was a plain, white ceiling.

A few minutes later, Rose had managed to find a small amount of strength, and she was able to ever so slowly turn her head to the side. Her cheek met the pleasant material of a plush pillow, and she nearly cried from what she saw.

Standing a few feet away from the bed she laid on was her mother, talking to Molly I. Rose frowned slightly when she saw the distressed look on her mother's face, as the woman brought a hand up to rest on her cheek. She looked tired and exhausted, wearing a defeated expression, something Rose never saw her mother with. The voice of her grandmother faded to her ears, and Rose listened to their conversation.

"Hermione dear, you should go home and get some rest. Please, darling. You are much too overworked. Me and Arthur will be here, along with Ron, and Harry and Ginny. And with the amount of my children that are stopping by, Rose will have at least six or seven people here at a time." Molly pleaded with the woman, placing a comforting hand on the witch's shoulder. But Hermione was much too stubborn for her own good.

The brunette opened her mouth to fight with her mother-in-law when a sweet, angelic voice suddenly called to her. "Mummy," Rose whimpered out, her voice weak and shaking. Her throat felt dry and it hurt to speak, but she ignored the pain when she saw her mother look over to her.

Happiness, and joy, and delight, and elation, and pure glee instantly overtook Hermione when she heard her daughter's voice. She felt the same she had when Louis walked into the hospital with Rose in his arms, though that moment was quickly ruined when she saw the horrid state her baby was in. A look of disbelief washed over Hermione's face as she rushed past Molly, who looked equally as gay, and went to her daughter's side.

Tears filled the witch's eyes when she saw those blue orbs that she had come to love look back at her, familiar and kind. Those tears slipped down Hermione's face as she knelt beside Rose's bed, her hand grabbing one the girl's skinny fist, the other going to stroke all over her face. "Oh, sweetheart," the witch cried out, not paying attention as Molly slipped out of the room.

Rose was confused and felt strange, yet joyfulness flooded her as her mother cooed over her. Hermione leaned forward and pressed hundred of kissed all over Rose's face, wetting it with her tears. "My sweet baby girl," the woman mumbled out, burying her head into the crook of Rose's neck, inhaling her tainted scent. She pulled back after a moment, a smile permanently stuck to her face, matching the face she wore when she held Rose in her arms for the first time. "I love you so much, my little Rosie," Hermione went on, unable to contain herself, even when she was aware that she was being watched.

Ron rushed into the room then, having been informed that his daughter was finally awake by his mother. Arthur, Molly, Ginny, and Harry all stood in the doorway, watching with hopelessly jubilant looks on their faces as Ron and Hermione coddled their daughter, tears in their eyes. A sob escaped Ron when he spotted his Rosie awake and alert, laying and smiling in her bed as the love of his life cried happy tears over her.

Rose allowed her parents to continue on for several more long moments before she spoke again. "What-" was the only thing she could choke out before she began coughing. Her mother rushed forward and grabbed the glass of water that the Healer who stood by the side held out, immediately going back to her daughter. Hermione helped Rose slowly sip the water down, and after a couple large gulps the witch pulled back, sighing in content as the burn in her throat subsided. "Why am I here," Rose asked in a small voice, and when no one replied she spoke again. "What happened?"

"How do you feel," Hermione asked gently after a minute, ignoring the girl's question momentarily. Rose nodded and replied that she felt sore and achy, reporting to the Healer all the places that bothered her. The man nodded and wrote down her symptoms on a clipboard, slipping out of the room a minute later. "You don't remember what happened, sweetie," Hermione asked after, her hands continuing to stroke all over the girl in a hypnotizing and calming way.

The witch allowed her eyes to slide shut as she strained to think, and as if a flood was suddenly let in; all her memories of the past week filled her fragile mind. A gasp escaped her as her eyes flew open, all of the dark recollections consuming her as tears fell down her soft cheeks. Suddenly panic and fear devoured Rose, and she was attacked with anxiety, as her breathing became labored and her body began to shake. Hermione quickly calmed her back down, shushing her quietly as she hugged her tightly, wanting anything but for her daughter to experience more stress. "Sh, darling. It's alright, he's gone now. You don't have to worry anymore, he will never come near you again."

The comforting words of her mother struck her hard and Rose sucked in a breath as she tried to calm herself, looking to her father with shock in her eyes. "You k-killed him," she asked, her voice shaking from her tears, her tone revealing nothing.

Ron quickly shook his head, rubbing his thumb over the small, doll-like hand which he held in his own. "No, petal pie," he corrected her in a low voice, using the nickname he always called her when she was very young. "I didn't even have a chance once Malfoy was done with him," Ron said in a light tone, though they all knew it wasn't a subject to laugh about.

Harry then stepped forward from his spot at the door, going to sit at the end of Rose's bed as he put a hand over her sheet covered foot. "Scorpius killed Damien, Rosie," the dark haired man revealed.

Rose felt overwhelmed with emotions; elation to not deal with his torment anymore, and the painful need to suddenly see Scorpius. Harry was answering the very next question Rose was about to ask before she could ask it. "Scorpius," Harry paused, looking for the right word, "attacked him. He beat Damien to death. Scorpius didn't use any magic, only his hands. Damien died within six minutes. Scorpius broke around forty bones in the man's body, and Damien didn't stand a chance of surviving."

The witch slowly nodded, letting all the information seep into her mind. "He's not in trouble, is he," Rose asked suddenly, wanting anything but for Scorpius to get blamed and thrown in Azkaban. Relief flooded her when Harry shook his head right after.

"What Scorpius did was wrong, but Damien would have most likely been sentenced to death anyway. I will personally make sure Mister Malfoy isn't charged for anything," Harry said in a calming voice, smiling when he saw Rose visibly relax before him.

"I want to see him," Rose said strongly, looking to her father with the eyes she knew could get her anything from him. "Please, Daddy," the witch begged, her voice thickly laced with desperation. After a moment Ron sighed and nodded, knowing keeping his daughter from the boy was impossible.

Looking to Harry, the man stood and nodded. "Rosie," her godfather grabbed her attention once again. "I will gladly go fetch Scorpius, but only if you're sure. He hasn't been allowed to see you since you've been here. After the affair he had to be sedated with a powerful calming draught, as he was still very upset. Scorpius hasn't been allowed to see you without your direct consent, though he has been fighting that," Harry said with a small chuckle, making Rose wonder.

"Of course I give my consent. Please can you get him," Rose asked sweetly, breaking her uncle's heart. The man nodded and left the room at once. After Harry was gone, Rose took a good look around the room she was in for the first time, and was shocked by the big stack of paperwork that sat on a table in the corner, knowing what most of it meant. "How long have I been here," Rose asked as she looked to her mother, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Four days," Hermione supplied, stroking a hand down Rose's naturally blushed cheeks. Rose felt her eyes grow wide; she remembered none of it. "This is the first time you've been awake since you arrived," her mother then spoke, "the Healers said you were in a very fragile state and had a severe concussion. They said they had no clue when you would wake, but I had faith in you, my little fighter." Rose smiled back at her mother, allowing her to bend down and kiss her cheek lovingly.

The same Healer as before then returned, and gave Rose a surprisingly large amount of potions. After this he told her of all her injuries; a deep skull fracture, five broken ribs, a sprain to her middle finger, a broken talus, a fractured nose, a bruised spine, internal bleeding, and a critical concussion, along with severe dehydration and starvation, with a deadly amount of poisonous potion intake.

Rose felt like crying as the man went down the list, as flashbacks of how she got each of the injuries came back to her. She was surprised and thanked Merlin above for saving her, as most people surely would have died from the amount of pain she had gone through. And as she sat there and listened to her mother's soothing voice, she couldn't help but think back to Joseph Rochelle's words and smile.

* * *

Somewhere across the huge hospital of St Mungo's, Scorpius sat on a crisp white bed, fuming angrily as he had for the past four days. He had been given a patient's room on the same floor as Rose just when she had been admitted. Scorpius had been forced to take several calming draughts and potions, and was told that he had to be magically induced to stop his fit of rage. The wizard had been told that he could leave two days ago, but he refused to leave as long as his witch was still there.

So, there the wizard sat, dressed in his own clothes, refusing to wear the hospital gowns any longer, as he pouted on his bed. His mother and father were there with him, sitting in the comfortable chairs that had been supplied, along with his grandmother, who insisted on checking up on Scorpius every day.

There was a knock on the door, and soon after an official looking man walked in, introducing himself as Parker Luby, whom was a lawyer from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. "Hello, Mister Malfoy, I am here to discuss your-"

But his words were cut off as a slightly rushed looking Harry Potter then arrived, and Parker's eyes grew in size when he saw the important wizard. "There is nothing to discuss, Luby," the wizard said, surprising the four Malfoys in the room.

"Excuse me, sir, but Mister Scorpius Malfoy killed a man with his own two hands. He is a murderer, for Merlin's sake! How can you not-" Parker went to defend himself, but yet again Harry cut him off, making the man blush as Scorpius smirked.

Using his pointer finger, the inky haired man pushed his glasses up his nose. "Mister Malfoy did indeed kill a man, but it was a man who had killed dozens of people before. Mister DeVille surely would have been sentenced to death even if he did survive. There will be no punishment for Scorpius, and that is the final word. In fact, I do believe we should be thanking him for making sure Mister DeVille didn't get away and cause more harm."

To say that Scorpius was shocked, would have been a huge understatement. He hadn't been expecting to be defended, and by Rose's uncle nonetheless. "But what of the matter of Mister Draco Malfoy bringing himself and his son on a private Aurors mission. That is an illegal offense, and needs to be-"

Scorpius nearly sniggered aloud when Potter interrupted the man a third time. "Myself and Ron Weasley gave direct consent for both of the wizards to come along. Draco might be the only reason my niece is alive right now. He was smarter than four fully trained Aurors and was able to think of a way to free himself before even I was. We should, too, be thanking Mister Malfoy for his help." This shut Parker right up, Scorpius noticed as the man turned red and nodded, saying his goodbye as he held his head down and left the room.

There was a short silence that followed until Draco cleared his throat and spoke. "Thank you, Potter," his aristocratic voice said, looking the man in the eyes as he did so. Harry nodded and smiled in the smallest of ways, moving forward to shake the man's hand when he offered it. Harry smiled kindly at Narcissa when she too thanked him for helping her son and grandson, as the wizard did have a small spot for the woman who saved his life all those years ago in the forest.

Turning to Scorpius, the man spoke again, this time in a softer and kinder voice. "Rosie is awake," Harry said, watching as Scorpius' eyes turned big and a smile spread across his face. "And she has requested to see you." The blonde man instantly nodded, not even looking to his parents to see their happy faces as he quickly made a move. Astoria squeezed herself into Draco's side as they watched their son leave with Harry, thrilled to know he was happy again.

Scorpius was slightly annoyed with the slow pace Harry was going as he led the younger man to the room he had yet to be, but he said nothing. "She is still in a very fragile state, and is remembering what has happened," Harry told the taller blonde wizard, and he nodded, just wanting to see her already.

Scorpius' heart beat frantically; he was positive Rose was aware that he had been the one to kill DeVille, and he wasn't sure how she would respond. A minute later they were in front of a door that was covered by people, most with matching red hair. "Here she is." Everyone that stood in the doorway turned when they heard Harry's voice, and they all smiled, some winking, as they left.

Anticipation ruled Scorpius as he slowly walked into the room, suddenly not in a rush, and not noticing when Harry stopped and failed to walk in with him. Hermione looked up when she heard footsteps, and smiled at Scorpius. She then took her husband's arm and forced him out of the room with her, wishing to give the sweet couple some time on their own, for the first time in over a week.

Scorpius held back a gasp when he saw her. Rose laid on a white bed, looking ill and thin, yet loads better. He noticed that she looked much like herself again, with blushed cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. He felt a small tinge of anger fill him when he saw the small bandage wrapped over Rose's finger, and the cast set over her entire ribs, but he held it back and pushed it away. And though Scorpius had already known that Rose was well and alive, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with joy as he saw her with his own eyes, happy and healthy.

Rose felt tears pool in her eyes when she spotted Scorpius standing in her door. He looked just as devilishly handsome as always, though he sported small under eye circles. The huge, crooked smile on his lips made the witch's heart soar, and it beat painfully. She had missed him so terribly it felt painful to see the man she was so desperately in love with once again. Rose smiled back at him, showing off the one sided adorable dimple on her cheek.

Taking small, almost timid steps forward, the wizard found himself by Rose's side in seconds, as they both just stared at each other with wide grins. Tears continued to leak from her eyes, and Scorpius reached forward to stroke them off her cheek. "Don't cry, little one," he soothed, almost not believing it was her in front of him.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful," Scorpius spoke after a moment, his eyes staring deep into her glossy ocean eyes. Another single tear slid down Rose's freckled skin, and that seemed to break him. The wizard suddenly leaned forward, grabbing her face with both of his hands as he brought his lips down to hers.

Rose was surprised and felt lightheaded, but she kissed Scorpius back with all the strength and passion she could muster in her weak state. Their lips pushed and massaged with one another's, and after a couple minutes, Scorpius let in and gave Rose what she wanted. His talented tongue found its way into her mouth and tangled with hers, making love and fighting with heat. Rose wished deeply that she had the strength to move and grab at Scorpius, but she was simply too weak, and her wizard seemed to sense her frustration as he kissed her.

The couple pulled back after awhile, out of breath and red lipped. "I missed you so much," Rose whimpered out, letting a few more tears escape. Scorpius smiled back at her, moving one of his hands to swipe away her tears as the other stroked a thumb over her perfect pink lips.

"I missed you too, lovely," Scorpius confessed, not caring if the whole world could hear him. Rose smiled a stunning smile at him, and the wizard felt like crying when he saw the love radiating from it, as it was the same smile he had been craving for days. "You scared to death, little lamb," he confessed in his low, deep voice. "Don't you ever do that to me again."

Rose shook her head, feeling the strength it took to do so. "I'm never leaving you again," the pretty witch promised with honesty and trust glowing in her eyes.

Clearing his throat, Scorpius brought up the one thing he needed to address the thing that was eating him up inside. "Rose, I killed him. I'm a mur-"

But Rose was having none of it as she shook her head and frowned at him. "No, Scorpius, stop. You are nothing that you weren't before. You saved me, and probably many others. What you did was brave and courageous. You don't need to guilt yourself down, and I won't stand for any of it."

The wizard nodded quickly, surprised by the strength and courage in her voice. Rose took a deep breath, and began again. "I love you more than I know how to say," her gentle voice spoke, her heart pounding in her chest from excitement.

"And I love you more, my Rosie," Scorpius let out, stroking his hand over her face, mesmerized by all of her features. The wizard bent down and kissed Rose again, unable to help himself, feeling the need to make up for the past eight days without her.

As the couple kissed each other tenderly, they both made the wordless agreement that they would never go another day without the other by their side.


	58. Chapter 58

Hi guys, I am so pleased you all are liking my posts, please continue to leave me comments on what you think. And as always, enjoy!

* * *

Her eyes seemed like deep pools filled with love and happiness, the beautiful green-blue color of the ocean. Scorpius knew that he could easily get lost and simply stare into them for hours, as he had done before. The smallest of smiles toyed with the corner of his lips, his grey eyes trained on Rose as she spoke to him in a quiet tone. Her voice was just as he remembered it from the moment he heard it months ago after being saved by her; sugary and sweet, calming and kind, shy and timid… captivating.

"What," Rose stopped midsentence, catching Scorpius staring at her with a beguiled look in his stunning silver eyes. His mouth lifted into a silly grin, and he shook his head slowly, bringing up a hand. The witch let out a sigh when his warm hand cupped her cool cheek, heating her with his touch. He set down his guitar he had just been playing, by request of Rose, which made her feel better than ever.

The couple were currently in Rose's hospital room; it had been a day since Scorpius had been allowed to see her, and he refused to leave her side since. The wizard had put up a fit when it had been suggested that he go home and get some sleep, and after much convincing Draco was forced to bring Scorpius change of clothes, unable to do anything but agree. Scorpius knew that he would never again in his life let his little witch out of his sight. He put up an even bigger fit when it was suggested that he go back to Hogwarts, stating that he would rather flunk and not graduate than leave Rose's side. So, getting his way as he always did, his school work was delivered to him.

It was late into the evening, nine o'clock, and all visitors had gone home. There was an eery silence that filled the hospital, but Rose found it calming. Scorpius sat in a big cushioned chair that was pulled up next to Rose's bed, as she laid on her side and looked to him. They had been talking for hours, but neither of them noticed as time flew by. "Nothing," Scorpius replied, "you're just so perfect."

Scorpius stared at Rose as he spoke, looking at her as if he was in some sort of a trance. He felt his heart stutter as he watched a lovely blush bloom across her cheeks, making her only that much prettier. Rose casted her eyes down to the white sheets of the bed, as her hand played with a loose short thread. "No, I'm not," the witch mumbled, afraid to look up.

Blonde eyebrows furrowed, Scorpius had told Rose she was beautiful dozens of times, and he was use to her bushing and modesty, but she had never once denied his words. He knew she was in a fragile state, and probably felt worse for wear, yet his determination to prove to Rose just how stunning she was only grew.

The hand that laid on her soft cheek slowly trailed down to her chin, and her blue eyes reconnected with his when he tugged gently. "Rose Blaire Weasley," Scorpius pronounced in a dramatic tone. "I can easily and truthfully say that you are the most alluring and beautiful witch that has ever lived. And if I have to devote the rest of my life to getting you to realize that, I will gladly agree."

Just as Rose went to reply, there was a soft knock on the door to her room which was open a crack. "Miss Weasley," Rose's healer called out, as he peeked his head into the room. The witch turned onto her back again and gave the older wizard a small smile, as he continued in. "How are you feeling," he asked, and grinned gladly when Rose replied that she was feeling rather well. "Fantastic, dear. Now I'll just give you your evening potions and be off."

Scorpius held back laughs as he watched the adorable funny faces Rose made as she took her potions, stroking his thumb over the hand he held comfortingly. A minute later the witch swallowed down a large glass of water, trying to wash away the foul taste that lingered in her mouth.

"Very good, Miss Weasley," the Healer commented as he vanished the glass vials. "I must say, you are by far the most compliant and best behaved patient I have ever seen come around the fourth floor of this hospital. You have made it onto my list of favorites." Rose laughed as the man winked at her, not noticing how Scorpius tensed in the very slightest. "Now, I'll come visit again bright and early in the morning. Just holler if you need anything, I'm right down the corridor. Though I'm sure your beau here will watch over you better than I could."

A minute later the wizard was gone with a smirk on his face, and Rose shifted again to face Scorpius as the door clicked shut. The witch took a deep breath, going to speak, but she felt the dull stabbing pain in her chest, and she let out a cough instead. That one cough led to a fit, and soon Rose couldn't catch her breath, as tears slowly leaked down her face from the pain she felt at her healing ribs as she coughed.

Scorpius felt himself panic when Rose's coughing didn't halt, and he stood from his chair as he helped her slowly sit up slightly, still laying on her side. After a minute, Rose managed to catch her breath, and she greedily drank from the glass that Scorpius refilled with water. Scorpius watched as she held the cup to her face with quivering hands, not caring in the least when he saw some spill down her front as it dripped from the cup. Rose let out a breath when she pulled back, sending him a grateful look as she handed the glass back to him, watching him turn and walk over to the table to set it down.

Fear returned to Scorpius full force when he faced Rose again and found her with a bright red trail of blood leaking from her nose. "You're bleeding," the wizard quickly said, grabbing several tissues. He walked back over to her side and sat in his chair as he softly pressed the tissues to her nose, holding it there until the bleeding subsided. "Are you alright," Scorpius asked, concerned and curious as to if he should go and grab her Healer again.

"Oh goodness, I'm a mess," Rose laughed weakly, sinking back down onto her bed, feeling much too exhausted. "Thank you," she whispered once she was back in a comfortable position, "I'm fine. I think my body is just still trying to catch up and heal."

Feeling his heart return to it's normal pace, Scorpius nodded and sighed in relief. "It's going to take time," he spoke in his deep voice, watching as Rose nodded in agreement. Both of her tiny hands reached out and grabbed the big pale hand that laid flat down on her bed. A sweet smile found Rose as she brought his hand up and pressed it to her cheek, then moved it to stroke every part of her face.

Scorpius watched with a smile, intrigued in the most. His hand was moved all across the soft skin of her face, and Rose brought his palm to her lips and kissed it several times. "I missed your hands so much," the witch confessed in a hushed seductive tone. Her eyes slid such as she released his hand and spoke again, after a moment. "Touch me."

A thrill of pure passion and lust rushed through Scorpius and he nearly groaned aloud at her words. Not wanting to be one to disappoint, the man then took orders and let his hand wander. His fingertips gently caressed every inch of bare skin… which wasnt much as she had the blankets up to her breasts, and was wearing her hospital gown. But he did the best, which was more than enough for Rose.

He traced all along her neck, down over her collarbones, and across her arms. Scorpius felt immense pleasure every time he stroked a particular place and received a mewl of agreement. The wizard could tell Rose was falling asleep when her noises got softer and slower, turning into moans of sorts, yet he didn't halt. He watched as she closed her eyes and snuggled into the hugely oversized jumper of his she wore over her johnny, the third of his she had stolen.

Scorpius only stopped when he was sure Rose was fast asleep, when he heard the soft snore Rose had developed after she broke her nose for a second time. It hardly qualified as snoring, as it was so soft and quiet, but Scorpius found it endearing.

Bending forward, he pressed a kiss to Rose's forehead, smiling when she twitched her nose in her sleep. The wizard grabbed the blanket that sat on the back of his chair, and extended his legs forward to rest on Rose's bed, getting into the position that he had sat the night before.

And with a great sigh, the wizard allowed himself to fall into a dreamless night of sleep, thoroughly exhaustion. Yet for the first time in what felt like a long time his mind was clear and at peace, knowing Rose was well and safe.

* * *

Laughter filled the room, bringing joy and glee into the atmosphere. Everyone chuckled wholeheartedly at the joke Fred II had just told, knowing he could always be counted on to lighten a room and ease tension with his bursting humor. Rose, along with the new permanent resident of Scorpius, sat as they merrily chatted with her visitors; Fred, Louis, James, Dominique, and Roxanne, along with her fiance Ritchie Coote Jr. The day before Hugo, Albus, and Lily had been permitted to come visit, but had to return to the castle hours later, much to their uppermost disapproval.

Just about every single member of Rose's family had come and visited her, with many family friends also having stopped by. "You're such a bloody little liar," Roxanne accused her younger brother's story, though she chuckled through her words.

"No, no," James, Fred's partner in crime, chimed in. "I swear it, I was there too. You should have seen the look on McGonagall's face when she saw the damage." The two mischievous boys laughed as they shared a look, reminiscing on their trouble making days.

A moment later Rose's Healer walked in, arms filled with two different flower arrangements, and a huge basket filled with sweets. Ritchie stood, as he was the closest to the door, and took a load from the man's arms, helping him place it somewhere in the room. "Another delievery, Miss Weasley," the Healer called out. "It has been a week and you are still receiving gifts. I must say, you are quite the popular little miss."

Rose blushed at the man's words, and asked who the gifts were from, and she was informed of three names; her mother's coworker, a lovely man that lived down the street from her home, and her great-great Aunt Tessie. "You're her bloody favorite," Louis laughed out, when he heard Tessie's name. "She won't even speak to any of us, but when she sees you she just about throws out her back trying to squeeze you into a hug."

The other four cousins nodded in agreement, and even Ritchie had witnessed the act of obvious favoritism. Scorpius looked around the room then, counting that Rose had probably more than thirty different gifts sent to her, and had enough candy and flowers to last her a lifetime. He looked to Rose and watched her laugh prettily as Dominique got up and began picking through her sweets, not caring as her treats were stolen.

Scorpius felt as Rose aimlessly traced patterns onto the back on the hand that he rested on her leg, as she chatted with Roxanne about her wedding plans. Though a minute later, Rose paused her conversation and looked to Scorpius, the tell tale expression on her face that he had come so well acquainted with. "Do you need to use the loo," he asked, and her small nod confirmed his words as her face turned bright red. "I'll go grab your mum," Scorpius said, quickly making to stand.

"Oh, don't go and bother her," Dominique quickly said, standing from her lounged position in a chair as she swallowed her mouthful of chocolate. "I am perfectly capable of helping her myself." Scorpius stared hard at Dominique for a moment before looking to Rose, as she nodded to him.

The wizard then rose from his chair next to Rose, and moved to pull her into his arms to carry her, like he had the past dozen times she had gone to the bathroom. But she quickly protested, "no. I'm strong enough to walk." Scorpius raised a blonde eyebrow, but sighed when Rose pouted, using her puppy dog eyes. So, he then helped Rose slide out of bed, and held most of her frighteningly light weight as she stood.

A blush colored Rose's cheeks in embarrassment when she used Scorpius as crutch, slowly making her way towards the large bathroom that was attached to her room. Her skinny legs were covered with blue and purple fading bruises, not nearly as thin as they were days ago. Though the witch felt much stronger and healthy, her body still was weak, and she couldn't walk very far without running out of breath. It took much longer and used up too much energy then it should have, but Rose eventually made it to the bathroom, where she was handed off to Dominique. The redhead shut the door behind them as she held Rose up and led her to the toilet, helping her when she needing assistance.

Everyone watched as Scorpius stared hard at the door, looking at it as if he was afraid that she might not return. But a full two minutes later both witches reammeraged, Rose looking much relived. Scorpius moved to assist Rose again, but Dominique simply glared at him. "I've got it, blondie," she commented, and Louis held back a laugh as he watched Scorpius glare at his sister's back. Dominique held Rose up perfectly, stopping her from falling down when she stumbled over her own feet in her clumsy way, as she helped Rose back into her bed.

Scorpius settled back into his chair close to Rose, and his eyes shot up when Dominique spoke to him. "Malfoy," the ginger called out, sitting back in her chair, grinning when she found that she had Scorpius' attention. "Do you know how to drown a blonde," she asked in a teasing voice, and when Scorpius simply sighed and rolled his eyes, she spoke again. "Just put a mirror at the bottom of a pool."

A series of laughs were heard, though Scorpius only heard the tiny giggle that escaped Rose, and he instantly felt that the insult was well worth it. Several minutes later Hermione walked in on the group of young adults, watching as Rose hardly managed to shove the last piece of a sweet in her mouth. "Rose Blaire," her mother gasped out, walking to the end of her daughter's bed. "Is that candy you were just eating," Hermione asked in an appalled tone, "you know your diet is very strict right now, you are suppose to be eating only protein and carbohydrates to regain your strength. Not sugary treats."

Scorpius then spoke up, giving Rose time to eat her mouthful. "I did try to stop her," he confessed, as he truthfully had suggested that it wasn't the brightest idea. Brown, accusing eyes then traveled over to James, who immediately smirked in defeat.

"How do you always know, Aunt Hermione," he said in a joking tone, not sorry at all for being the one who grabbed Rose the candy.

The older woman shook her head, though her smile shone through. "I know everything," she gave him the same answer that she had told all her nieces and nephews, along with her children, when they were young. "Now," Hermione said, her tone softer as she looked back to her daughter. "Mister Rochelle has come to visit, and he is waiting in the guest's room right now. He is wondering if you'd be up for another visitor today."

Rose nodded immediately, curious as to what the wizard had come for. Her cousins left the room a minute later, saying that they were going to grab lunch, and promised they would be back to say goodnight later on. Though even when Hermione left to go grab Mister Rochelle, Scorpius remained in place, not wishing to move.

The wizard entered her room a moment later, dressed sharply in smooth robes, wearing an old smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Weasley," he greeted, pulling off the trilby hat he wore. The wizard's eyes flashed over to glance at the man sitting next to the witch's bed, and noticed how the look in his eyes, and even his position in the chair was possessive and protective. Good, he thought, every good girl like Miss Weasley deserves a defender.

"Mister Rochelle," Rose grabbed the man's attention, and she quickly blushed when she received a certain look. She corrected herself, "Joseph." The wizard sent her a slow nod as he kept his smile in place, and motioned to the extra chair on the opposite side of her bed. "Oh, of course," Rose said quickly, watching happily as Joseph made himself comfortable. "How are you, sir?"

With a small sigh, the man balanced his hat on his knee, moving to fold his hands over his lap. "I'm quite well, my dear, but that is of no concern. I surely didn't drag myself all the way down here to talk about my health." Joseph paused for a moment, watching with curiosity as Rose grabbed the wizard's hand and fondled it, no doubt doing it unconsciously. "May I call you Rose," he asked, and the girl nodded almost immediately. "Tell me, Rose, how are you?"

Rose smiled at the man, and Joseph watched as the diamond bracelet on her wrist sparkled brightly when she twitched her hand. "To tell you the truth," she started, and the older wizard held his breath for a moment. "I am feeling unbelievably better." The smile she wore brightened when Joseph grinned at her, relieved by her answer.

"I'm happy to hear it," Mister Rochelle revealed. "I must say, I gave myself a rather good scare when I found out what had happened to you. But I just have to know, you must tell me; how did you do it, Rose? It appears fate was on your side, but your miracle was much more than luck… I do believe."

Rose looked to Joseph with eyes that were strong and peaceful... far from what they had been as she laid on the floor of her kidnapper just days ago. And in a quivering voice, she told him the truth. "I fought," Rose said, "I made a promise to you, and I knew I had to fight for you."

The couple sat there staring at each other, seeming to convey all their emotions without speaking. As Scorpius looked on and stayed silent, not wishing to interrupt the clearly tranquilizing conversation between the two. The moment Rose's sweet smile appeared to her lips, was the same moment Joseph's hard exterior and barrier seemed to break. A thick, single tear streamed down his face, and he let out a cough that sounded more like a sob.

The wizard stood from his chair and grabbed Rose's free hand, which laid on the bed, and picked it up in his. Rose beamed up at the man as she choked out laughs, and pressed a long, wet kiss to the back of her hand. "Thank you," Joseph mumbled out to the girl after a moment. And for the first time since his son passed away, Mister Rochelle felt a surge of happiness and hope fill him.

* * *

"No need to be nervous, Miss Weasley, we will merely be asking questions." The Ministry official spoke, and Rose nodded, uselessly trying to hide her nerves. Her cousin Louis sat in the seat next to her, and grabbed her hand under the table, squeezing it comfortingly. It had been ten days since Rose had been found, and after having the Ministry put up a fit, she was forced into her interrogation.

She was sat in a good sized room, with a rectangular table as the only furniture. On the other side of the table sat the 'questioner', with two other Ministry officials standing on either side of the only door to the room, which happened to be locked shut. Scorpius had put up a damn good fight when he heard that no one was allowed in the room when the questioning was undergoed. He only settled when they allowed Louis, as a trained Auror, into the room.

So there the cousins sat, side by side, as Louis tried his best to calm the witch he felt was a little sister to him. "This entire conversation will be recorded and held on file," the man informed, and Rose managed a small nod, wishing that it would all be over soon so she could return to her waiting family on the other side of the door.

"Let begin," he started. "Miss Weasley, is it true that on the twenty-ninth of May, you were abducted?" Rose nodded, and spoke up in a weak voice when she was informed that she had to verbally answer all her questions. "Miss Weasley, could you please go through the memories you have of your abduction?" Rose then quietly remembered the affair with the Albus look alike, and Aurors, telling the man everything she remembered.

The wizard across from her nodded continuously as she spoke, twisting a quill in his hand, though he never wrote on the bare piece of parchment laid out on the desk. "Thank you, Miss Weasley. Now, if you would, could you please recall all of the events that occurred, before the Aurors appeared."

Rose took a deep breath, feeling the lingering pain that pinched her ribs, and Louis ran his thumb over her hand when he felt it shake. "I passed out, or perhaps he cursed me, I'm not sure. But when I woke up I was in the basement, and he was there. He told me that he was happy I was awake, and after a minute he tackled me down and forced me to swallow a potion, I don't know what it was. He gave me this same potion probably more than two dozen times, I would guess about every couple hours or so."

The man across from her nodded, conveying no emotion. "He visited me often, but the potion kept me subdued; tired and weak." Tears gathered in the witch's eyes, but she stayed strong and refused to let them fall, having cried too much already over the affair. "He hurt me alot, he seemed to feed off of it. It made him happy and excited. He kicked me, and punched me, and hit me, and he never had any mercy… no matter how much I begged and pleaded."

"I know this is hard, and I am sorry you have to do this," the man said, though his voice was stony and he seemed the least bit guilty. "Miss Weasley, could you please list all of the spells Mister DeVille used on you."

Rose shook her head immediately, and when the man opened his mouth to surely tell her that she didn't have a choice, she spoke. "He never used his wand on me, not until my father and everyone showed up. Never once did he use magic, he alway used his hands and body."

Another stupid nod from the man. "Very good, now I have one last question for you, Miss Weasley. Did Mister DeVille ever sexually abuse you? Did he force himself upon you or-"

"No," Rose interrupted him, shaking her head as she casted her eyes down onto the table. "He never touched me like that." Louis looked Rose from the side of his eyes, seeing how clearly upset she was by it all.

The official spoke again, "you're positive, Miss Weasley? He never touched you inappropriately-"

Again, Rose cut the man off, and by the look on his face, he didn't like it. "Yes, I am sure!" The witch said harshly, not noticing when tears slipped past her eyes. "I was there wasn't I?"

"Of course, but it is vital that you are telling the truth. Anywhere on your body-" the official was cut off for a third time, though it was a male's voice. Louis stood up fast, knocking his chair back onto the floor.

The official's eyes flickered to the clasped hands of the couple, not paying attention to how Rose seemed to break down. The witch brought her free hand to her face and blocked it off, weeping out and sobbing freely, not caring who saw. All the emotions she had been able to handle and push aside flowed back to her, breaking down her strong walls.

"Stop it," Louis' voice yelled as he stopped the official from speaking further. "She said no and she is telling the truth! Can't you see that you're hurting her," the wizard asked in a harsh tone as he sent the men hard looks. He then moved and knelt beside Rose, hugging her into him and allowing her to cry into his neck as her emotions got the best of her. She was still in a fragile state, and all of the questions seemed to break down the strength she had built up, showing just how traumatized she was.

It took several long moments, and the three men simply stared as Louis calmed Rose down as he rubbed her back and hushed her. The official apologized, though everyone knew it was false, and after taking a vial of her memories from her capture, she was allowed to go. Rose clung to Louis as he helped her up and led her to the doors, where she bursted out and ran to her mother's arms.

Hermione seemed shocked at first, but quickly recovered as she held her daughter tightly to her, glaring at the three men as they existed the room and walked away. Rose no longer cried but simply snuggled herself deep into her mother's embrace, inhaling her comforting scent which brought back happy memories. "Shh, Rosie. Everything it done, you did fantastic, sweetheart." Rose squeezed her thin arms around her mother's waist, wanting to melt into her soothing embrace and hide herself from all.

A moment later Rose felt a familiar touch on her back, and she pulled back to turn to Scorpius. The wizard had a terribly worried look on his face, and the witch seemed to break when she saw this. Pulling out of mother's embrace, Rose fell into Scorpius, allowing him to wrap his strong and protective arms around her. The wizard's scent was equally as calming to the girl; spicy and smooth.

As Scorpius held Rose and calmed her expertly, he shared a look with Hermione, and the witch sent him a genuine smile, glad her daughter had found someone who could help her through anything.


	59. Chapter 59

It was hours later, the sun had set and the moon had taken its place. Rose had been released from the hospital that afternoon, and was fast asleep, a smile on her face as she was overly pleased to be back in her own bed. After spending ten whole days in the hospital, the witch had finally been deemed healthy enough to leave, though she was still on a strict amount of potions. She would be returning to school the very next morning, and her excitement for learning had reached an all time high.

Hermione stood on one side of the island in the middle of her kitchen, smiling at her guest. Scorpius sat on a bar stool on the opposite side, talking to Rose's mother casually as he had been for an hour since Rose retired to bed.

The wizard had been surprised when Hermione and Ron both invited Scorpius to stay the night at their house, before he returned to school the next day with Rose. The couple had both witnessed how protective Scorpius had become over their daughter, and knew he would likely give himself a heart attack if he had to spend the night under a different roof than her. And after some serious persuading on Hermione's part, she managed to convince Ron that letting the young man spend the night in one of their guests bedroom would be beneficial for both Rose and Scorpius.

Hermione made Scorpius a cup of tea, and the two talked lightly as they felt their bodies grow closer to sleep. The witch covered her mouth as a yawn escaped her, "oh, excuse me. I think the night is finally catching up with me." The woman then shot Scorpius a smile, which he realized looked so much like Rose's. "I think I should head off to bed now," Hermione said as she brought her cup over to the sink. "The guest bedroom is all set up for you, and we will be escorting you both back at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, by Floo."

Scorpius smiled back at the witch as she left, listening to her as she went and said goodnight to her husband in the living room before she made her way up the stairs. The blonde wizard sat and finished his tea, staring out one of the large kitchen windows out into the backyard, noticing the dog house along with the tree house high in the spacious garden. Some time later Scorpius went and copied Hermione, placing his empty mug into the sink, before he walked out of the room.

The wizard was about to go up to the room which he had been introduced to earlier, when he paused. Most of the house was dark, save for the living room, which emitted a soft glow of light. After thinking to himself, he took a deep breath and made his way into the sitting room.

Ron looked up from the paper he read when he heard footsteps, and was slightly surprised to see the young man standing before him. "Scorpius," Ron nodded to him, as he put down the paper he held. The older wizard at in his favorite chair by the roaring fireplace, the only source of light.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, sir," Scorpius greeted politely, as he took a few more steps in. "But I was wondering if I could have a word with you." He folded his pale hands by his sides, not showing any emotions though he felt quite nervous on the inside.

A ginger eyebrow rose, and Ron motioned to the couch that was settled across from him. Once Scorpius had sat down, he spoke up, "what about?" Blue eyes were locked with grey ones.

Taking a smooth deep breath, he placed a hand in his pocket and fingered it contents. Scorpius bit back his fear and spoke up, "about Rose."

* * *

Small fingers moved to toy with the comforting bracelet, which seemed more important since the witch found out how it had saved her. "What if people stare," Rose mumbled out, her nerves a bundle in her center. "They'll surely stare, or ask questions- I don't know how to answer them, Scorpius. I can't do this-" Rose's panic reached an all time high when she was suddenly consulted with a calm and smoothing voice.

"You don't need to answer them, it's not your job. You don't need to worry, Rosie, I'll be by your side for every second of it. And if anyone does anything to make you feel even the least bit uncomfortable, just tell me and I will deal with them." The witch moved her hand and wrapped it around Scorpius' upper bicep, clutching onto him like he was her lifeline.

The couple had made it back to Headmistress McGonagall's office just a while ago, and they were on their way down to breakfast, where the Great Hall would surely be filled on that Sunday morning. Rose hadn't felt the least bit nervous about the thought of returning when it had been suggested to her, in fact she jumped at her chance. But as she walked with Scorpius down the corridors of the castle she had missed so dearly, she couldn't help but allow her fear and anxiety fill her.

Scorpius bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of Rose's head when he felt her snuggled into his side, as they came closer to their destination. "We don't have to stay long if you don't want. You just need to eat something," the wizard spoke, and Rose nodded, knowing that fighting with him about anything concerning her health was useless.

The two of them had just turned the corner to the corridor that led to the Great Hall when they were confronted with another couple. Zoee and Luciano appeared to just be leaving the hall when they spotted Rose and Scorpius, as their faces lit up. "Rose," Zoee said happily, as she tore her hand from her boyfriend and ran towards the girl, throwing her arms around her as she embraced. "I didn't know you were back! Oh my, it's so bloody good to see you," the Slytherin said as she pulled back and held Rose at arms length, smiling at the girl she had come to be friends with.

The witch flinched slightly at the tight hug, her body sore in the slightest still, feeling as if she had spent the previous day exercising endlessly. But Rose smiled back at the sweet girl nonetheless, feeling pleased to receive such a pleasant welcome. Luciano came up a second later, and gave Rose a just as tight hug, planting a kiss on her cheek too, causing Scorpius to glare at his mate playfully.

"We just got back about a half an hour ago, we haven't seen anyone since… I don't think anyone knows I'm back besides the professors." Rose informed in a light voice, placing her hands back on Scorpius' arm as she pulled herself into his side and clung onto him, something neither of the Slytherins missed.

The couple smiled, and Zoee grabbed Luciano's hand again as she spoke. "Well, we're really glad you're back and feeling better. We'll see you both soon," the tall witch said, shooting a smile to Scorpius as well, having missed him in his eleven day absence.

"You see," Scorpius said to Rose once the couple was gone from sight. "People will be thrilled to see you're back, you have nothing to worry yourself over. Now, come on, let's go get some food in you." The wizard led Rose forward, feeling her hand slightly shake as they made their way through the doors, entering the busy room filled with almost every student in Hogwarts.

The room fell to a silence quickly, just as soon as everyone noticed the couple that walked in. All eyes were drawn to Rose, shocked by the girl's appearance. Rose blushed deeply, and kept her eyes casted down onto the floor, not wishing to catch the stares of anyone. The pair finally made it to Rose's usual seat at the Ravenclaw table, though the witch felt that it took thrice as long as normal.

The noisiness of the hall returned moments later, as soon as Rose was seated, though she knew most everyone was talking about her. Across from the pair sat Elliot and Robert, who both wore matching grins of excitement. "Bloody hell, Rosie," Elliot exclaimed, "it's about time you've made your appearance, we've missed you like hell!"

Rose blushed immediately, and was about to apologize, though she didn't quite know why, when Robert elbowed Elliot and spoke to her. "Oh, ignore him, he's just being his normal prick self. You could have taken all the time in the world to feel better, we're just glad your back." The witch smiled back at her best friends since the age of eleven as Robert grinned and Elliot winked at her. Scorpius rubbed his hand up and down Rose's back, grateful everyone was being so kind to his girl.

The rest of breakfast went by smoothly, and Scorpius even managed to get Rose to eat half her plate of food, a great success on his part. But by the end of the meal the witch felt slightly drained, and bid her mates a goodbye as Scorpius escorted her back to her dorm. Though Hugo, Albus, and Lily caught up with the couple a minute after they left the hall, which wasn't hard considering Rose still couldn't walk very fast on her own.

The five of them then made their way to Rose's common room, where they lit a fire and laughed through the afternoon. "How you feeling, Rosie doll," Albus asked, reclined in a love seat. Lily and Hugo sat on one of the sofas near the fire, with Scorpius and Rose on the other.

The little witch laid into Scorpius' side, leaning her head on his chest with his arm wrapped around her petite body. Both of her small hands were rested on his thigh, a casual gesture, though the soft touch burned through Scorpius no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. His body had gone a week straight without her touch, and it seemed to be over sensitive now that she was back in his arms. "I'm feeling loads better," Rose said with a small smile, and when Hugo looked at her, unconvinced, she continued. "Honestly, I'm hardly even aching anymore. I feel almost back to normal."

"That's great, Rosie! You look so much better," Lily said in an optimistic voice, her brown eyes encouraging. The young witch seemed to inherit her mother's ability to sense the feelings of people around her, and was always the first one to help others.

A light chatter went on, and as two hours ticked by, Rose realized just how use she had become to sleeping through her days. She yawned and nuzzled her nose into Scorpius' side, something the wizard found entirely adorable, though she fought and kept herself awake. She had missed her cousins and brother terribly, having made a habit to seeing them everyday, and was greedy for their presences again. Though keeping her eyes from drooping down became a terribly difficult task when Scorpius soothingly ran his fingertips up and down her spine, as she listened to his breathing in his chest.

All five pairs of eyes turned to the door when they heard it open, and Dawson was slightly shocked to find a group of people inhabiting his common, as no one had set foot in the dorms for the past two weeks beside himself. "You're back," the wizard said in an awestruck voice, as he allowed the door to shut behind him. Dawson had eaten his breakfast early, and was gone before Rose made her grand reappearance, leaving him without a clue of her return.

Rose smiled at her partner, pushing down her hand on Scorpius' thigh as she moved to get up, feeling her boyfriend's helping hand on her back as he gently pushed her up. "We just arrived a few hours ago," Rose informed, missing the small downward pull of Dawson's lips when his eyes flickered over to the Slytherin on the couch, though Scorpius noticed it.

Dawson brought his attention back to Rose, however, when he saw her make a move towards him. Scorpius moved to get up and allow her tired body to use him as a crutch, but she dismissed him with her hand, her stubborn independence pulling through. Everyone watched helplessly as Rose suddenly tripped on her own feet and stumbled down to the ground. Scorpius and Dawson both moved forward to catch her, but neither were close enough, and they saw as her bony knees knocked hard against the stone floor. "Ow," Rose cried out, moving to cradle her knees and rub her hands back and forth across them.

Scorpius was forced to stand back and bite the inside of his cheek painfully hard as Dawson moved down and offered Rose his hands, helping her back to her feet. "You think I'd know how to work my own feet by now," Rose joked, laughing lightly at herself as she motioned to her reddening knees which would surely bruise in a hours time. Dawson didn't laugh nor say anything, though the witch was use to his silence. "It's good to see you again, Dawson."

As Rose said his name, it seemed to do the trick of pulling him out of his trance. "It's nice to have you back," Dawson nodded to Rose. The witch was highly surprised when the Slytherin suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.

Hugo observed as Scorpius watched the Head Boy and Girl interact, noticing as his cheek twitched in the slightest as his fists clenched at his sides. Scorpius held himself back for a moment, but he couldn't stop himself when he clearly saw that Rose was uncomfortable with the hard embrace. "Careful," the blonde man called out in a low voice, and Dawson pulled away after a minute, his eyes going to Scorpius' grey ones.

Rose turned when she was released, secretly happy that her squishing was done, though she reprimanded her boyfriend. "Oh, I'm fine. I am not going to break," the witch said with a smile. Dawson then told Rose he was happy she was in good health, and wished everyone a good night as he disappeared up his stairs.

"I'm not a fan of him, myself," Hugo commented after they heard Dawson's door close. Scorpius smirked and looked to Rose's brother, and the two shared a secretive look. Rose gasped and gave Hugo a hard glare, grabbing a pillow on the nearest chair and tossing it at him.

Though her weak throw was hardly impressive, and Hugo easily caught the pillow with a quick snatch. "That was rude," Rose scolded. "Now," she said after a minute, "I haven't played in a good month, let's see if you've improved in my break, shall we?" Hugo smirked when he saw Rose motion to the chess board that sat on the coffee table, and he rubbed his hands together enthusiastically as he grabbed a pillow and sat on it on the floor.

The siblings played three intense games of chess, where Rose won two and Hugo one. The pair had always been highly competitive when it came to the game, since the moment their father had taught them years ago. Their games were tough, though Rose's strategical mind allowed her to win most of the time.

Everyone laughed and watched on as the siblings played a tense round, Lily on Hugo's side, with Albus and Scorpius rooting for Rose. The group laughed and joked around until late that evening, when Rose had to finally retired to bed as she could no longer keep her heavy eyelids up. Scorpius and Rose bid her family a goodbye as they left, promising to sit with them at breakfast in the morning.

Scorpius had to practically carry Rose to bed, her fatigue getting the best of her. Though he didn't mind in the least.

* * *

"Oh, would you just bloody leave already, Malfoy? I was asked to help little Rosie, and I know no work will be done if your pretty face is here to distract her. Now, just go off and be gone, all I need is an hour. Go and groom yourself or something." Scorpius glared daggers at Zoee as she shooed him away, as Quinn laughed by his side, which only earned the wizard an identical mean stare.

Rose sat next to the blunt girl as she held a hand to her mouth to keep her from giggling. "Alright. But you can expect to see this pretty face in an hours time," Scorpius' deep voice said. Turning to Rose he spoke, "I'll be back." The auburn haired girl nodded, closing her eyes and smiling when Scorpius bent down and kissed her forehead softly.

Zoee shooed him off with her hands, though a smile remained on her face from the couple's sweet gesture. "Finally alone," the witch huffed when Quinn and Scorpius were both out of view. Rose had been gone for two weeks, and there forth missed ten days of school. And though the witch was already way ahead in all her classes, and knew everything that would ever be taught, she felt stressed from missing her beloved lessons. So that was why she went to Zoee, as she knew that the Slytherin had a knack for the Study of Ancient Runes, which just so happened to be the subject Rose felt she was lacking the most in.

Rose had been hesitant to ask the girl, but with Scorpius' encouragement, she approached Zoee, who was more than happy to help. It was three days since Rose had returned, and most everyone was back to treating her normal, and her body felt almost good as new. The two girls sat in Rose's favorite isolated table in the back corner of the library, which was filled with a good amount of students on that Wednesday afternoon.

It turned out Zoee was a fairly good teacher, and was able to catch Rose back up to speed within a half hour. "There," the short haired witch said with a smile as she closed the Ancient Runes textbook. "You are completely caught up to date, and know everything that we learned in your absence. Though, I do think you knew all that already." Zoee winked at Rose, and leaned back in her chair, tipping it on its hind legs.

"Thank you so much, Zoee. I really do appreciate you taking time to help me," Rose said with a grateful smile, feeling better to the highest extent. "It was really considerate of you."

The sandy haired girl flicked her wrist causally, as she fell forward and slammed the front of her chair back on the floor. "Don't mention it, I know you would do the same-" the witch spoke, but abruptly stopped when she coughed harshly. A hand came up and grabbed her throat, rubbing it lightly.

"Oh, are you alright," Rose asked, a look of concern on her face. "Are you sick? I could get you a potion for your throat if you'd like." Zoee chuckled lightly, confusing Rose as she sorted out the parchment she had used to take her notes.

A sneaky smirk came to Zoee's lips and she shook her head. "Oh, no, no. I'm not sick, thanks though. I just met with Luciano before I came here," the witch confessed in a suggestive tone, though Rose only became more confused by the mischievous look the girl wore. Zoee laughed hard when her company then asked if Luciano was sick, as she shook her head. "No, Rose. I _met_ with him earlier… you know?" The Slytherin was shocked when Rose's innocent eyes only grew bigger in confusion, as she tilted her head to the side. Zoee held back a laugh as she spoke, "oh God, you really don't know."

Seeming to be in awe, Zoee looked to Rose with curious eyes. "I mean I knew you were inexperienced, but I didn't think you were as naïve as a first-year." Rose blushed a deep color, hating the feeling she got when she realized she didn't know something.

"It would be nice if you could explain," Rose commented when Zoee simply stared. The girl quickly shook her head and stopped looking.

A hand came out and snatched up the quill that sat on the table, as the Slytherin began toying with it. "I deep throated him, Rose," Zoee said bluntly, not caring to lower her voice as she knew no one was listening. This time the witch couldn't hold back her laughter as Rose crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "I guess we are going to have to start slow," the witch said as she scooted her chair a bit closer to Rose. "Please tell me you at least know what a blowjob is?"

Rose eagerly nodded her head, happy to know what something was, which seemed entirely too hilarious to Zoee as she did so. The Ravenclaw had stumbled in on a conversation Dominique and Lucy were having one time, and the two cousins were forced to explain to Rose what the term 'blowjob' was. The young witch was instantly panicked at the explanation, and vowed she would never complete the act. "Good," Zoee commented, "I think I would have had to sent you off to the nun house if you hadn't. I don't want to be the one to _completely_ ruin your innocent mind."

"Well," the girl started again, having some self decency as she quieted her voice a bit. "Deep throating is just a variation of a blowjob. In a normal blowjob you just keep the penis in your mouth mostly, but when you deep throat you slide it into the back of your mouth and slightly down your throat, hence the name. When you do this, the entire penis is usually in your mouth, as opposed to a normal blowjob."

Zoee watched through her entire explanation as Rose's eyes grew larger and larger, looking like they were about to fall from her face. "Oh my," the witch said in a hushed voice, not believing what she heard. "So, this is why your throat is sore? Because his- ah Luciano's, p-penis," Rose stuttered over the word, not believing she was talking about her boyfriend's best mate's manhood. This caused Zoee to smirk hugely as she watched Rose blush and look down. "It hurt your throat when you did this earlier?"

Shaking her head, Zoee explained. "It doesn't hurt at all, really. If you have a good partner he will let you take the lead, and won't force himself down your throat or anything. That's why I don't mind doing it for Luciano; he doesn't push or shove, he is gentle and makes it good for the both of us. I'm only a little sore cause it's a unusual sensation," the girl said, not bothered in the least to talk about her sex life.

Rose felt extraordinarily uncomfortable, and could only think what her mother would say if she could see her then. And yet the Ravenclaw felt herself grow more curious, despite her best efforts. "And Luciano likes this?"

"Oh he loves it more than he loves me, I swear. It's one of his favorites," Zoee informed with a smirk, leaving out the fact of how she always uses it when she wants something. "But I mean, he's putty in my hands with a normal good blowjob. My mother says that the way to a man's heart is through his penis."

Rose suddenly felt inferior and dumb. "I-I wouldn't even know how to go about doing something like that," the witch confessed, thankful when Zoee didn't judge her as she went into a full, detailed explanation. Rose blushed hotly whenever her friend used hand gestures or motions, looking around to make sure they weren't being watched.

After ten minutes Zoee had described the basics, and Rose no longer felt uninformed, as this was replaced with fear. "So, you've never even seen Scorpius' bits," Zoee asked in a nosy manner, though Rose somehow knew that what they said would stay between them. Normally she would never talk about her private life with anyone else, but Zoee had a calming and trusting way about her.

Shaking her head, Rose pushed a hair behind her hair and bit her lip. "I've only ever felt it, and it was for a moment, through his trousers. It…" the witch paused and picked her next words, though she knew she could speak, as Zoee had told her so much. "It felt _really_ big. I mean, I of course have nothing to compare it to, but I once read that the average penis is around five inches, and it seemed much bigger than that."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Zoee said thoughtfully, looking off into the distance as if she was imaging Scorpius' penis. Rose was shocked when she felt herself grow slightly jealous over the prospect, even though she knew it was silly. "I mean Scorpius is real tall, and built well. I would expect that he would be at least a little bigger than most."

Zoee laughed when she saw the slightly panicked look on Rose's face. "Don't worry, though! Like I said earlier, when you have a good partner, you have nothing to be concerned about. Plus I know Scorpius, and I'm sure he would never do anything you weren't comfortable with. I mean, you've been dating for eight months and you still haven't even seen him." The witch leaned forward and put a comforting hand on Rose's arm, "when the time comes, just remember to relax and enjoy yourself. Your pleasure is just as important as his."

Just as Rose went to reply, Scorpius' voice sounded from behind her. "Your hour is through, Higgs. I've come to recollect my beauty," the Slytherin said gallantly, as he approached Rose from behind and placed his hand on her shoulders as he bent down and kissed the top of her head. No matter how hard Rose tried, she couldn't get the blush she wore to stop from glowing on her cheeks, feeling as it only deepened as she turned in her chair to face Scorpius.

Luciano had come with Scorpius, too wanting to collect his girlfriend. Zoee laughed loudly and hard when she watched Rose's eyes go wide as she spotted Luciano, watching as her eyes quickly flicked to the front of his pants for a fraction of a second, luckily missed by both men. "Is something wrong," Scorpius immediately asked in a suspicious tone when he saw Rose's nervous face.

"What? No- nothing's wrong. Why would you say that," Rose quickly replied, trying to hide her face with her hair as she collected her bag and stood up next to Scorpius. The tall blonde frowned and looked to Zoee, unconsciously winding his arm around Rose's waist in a protective way.

Luciano barked out a laugh and smiled when he saw Rose try to hide herself in Scorpius' side. "I think you scarred her, baby," he said to his girlfriend, who was still chuckling.

Zoee wore a false appalled face as she also stood and grabbed Luciano's hand, well aware of Scorpius' defensive glances. "Who, me? I was _teaching_ her the whole time," she said in reply, and Scorpius lowered his eyes when he heard how Zoee said her words. "Right, Rosie?"

Three eyes watched as Rose darkened in color and nodded as she buried her face in the crook of Scorpius' arm, wishing to simply disappear or die from embarrassment.


	60. Chapter 60

Wow guys, I seriously _cannot_ believe we are already at 60 chapters. It is insane to think how fast time goes by. Anyways, please let me know your thoughts, and enjoy!

* * *

Pale fingers lightly brushed against thin, strong strings, plucking each sixth one with an expert fluidity that came with years of practice. A normally strong and tense body was relaxed on the soft cushions of a sofa, reclined and no longer rigid. Realizing he had left his guitar in her room weeks ago, Scorpius smiled at his old friend as he played bits of songs he had burned into his memory from his childhood, as he waited for his witch.

A sweet smile formed on Rose's lips when she heard the light playing as she dried herself off with a towel, her skin glowing and fresh from her shower. Nothing sounded sweeter than when Scorpius played, and she soaked in each pretty sound.

When the witch had dried off she dressed, she went to stand in front of her mirror which was fogged with the thick, moist air of the room. Rose picked up the heavy antique looking silver hair brush her Aunt Fleur had gotten her for her twelfth birthday, and reached behind her to brush out her tangled hair. A huff escaped her when her arms ached, as they were still sore, and she realized she would have a hell of a time trying to brush out her long locks.

Scorpius looked up when he heard the bathroom door creak open, and he saw a cloud of steam tumble out and quickly disappear as Rose stepped in. The witch was wearing a cotton, long sleeved night dress, which came down the her thighs, and was comfortable than most things she owned. Scorpius was immediately let down when he saw her outfit, as he had become use to see her in his clothes, but her lack of skin was soon forgotten when he noticed that her thin dress was slightly see through. A groan nearly escaped Scorpius when he saw the outline of the little white knickers Rose wore, and even better, her perky pink nipples.

Rose was oblivious to the intense and lustful looks she was receiving, much to Scorpius relief, as he didn't think he had the strength in him to look away from her glorious breasts. The wizard set down his guitar against the couch when Rose came and sat next to him, a defeated look on her face with matching pouting lips. Reaching forward, Scorpius used his thumb to catch her protruding bottom lip and tugged on it playfully.

White teeth came out and gently bit down on the tip of his finger, surprising Scorpius with the reaction. "Something wrong, lovely," he asked in a gentle voice, the one he only used for Rose and no one else.

The witch nodded and bit her lip, "I can't brush my hair." When Scorpius raised an eyebrow to her and gave her a question look, she continued, "my arms are much too sore, I can hardly reach anything. And if I leave it be and don't get the tangles out, I will end up with a rat's nest on my head come morning."

Scorpius noticed the silver hairbrush that she held for the first time, and quickly snatched it out of her hand with seeker skills. "Say no more, I'd be honored," the wizard said in a gallant tone, and motioned his hand for her to turn around. Rose smiled at him and twisted her lithe body, until she faced away from him. With a small lean, Scorpius wrapped his arm just under Rose's breasts, and pulled her back gently until she was as close as he needed her to be.

Blue eyes slowly closed when she felt the sensational feeling of the brush running through her hair, easily pulling through her knots. Scorpius smirked to himself when he heard her breathing go deeper, and he knew she enjoyed the feeling, just as his mother did. When the four year old himself found this fact out, he spent hours on end brushing Astoria's thick, dark hair, enjoying how she smiled at him and thanked him when he was finished. Rose's honey tinted hair sighed as the brush came through, making her silky, wavy curls even smoother and shinier.

Even after he knew his job was well done, Scorpius continued on for ten minutes, enjoying the calm face Rose wore every time he peeked over her shoulder. Taking his long fingers, the wizard brushed her hair off one shoulder, and bent down to press his lips to the naked side of her throat. Rose let out a gasp when she felt Scorpius' warm lips leaving delectable kisses all over her neck, and the wizard chuckled against her porcelain skin when he felt her unconsciously fall back into him slowly. His eyes closed as he inhaled the fresh and clean scent of her skin, surprised as it still managed to have a sugary feature to it without any perfume.

Rose heard as her hair brush was put down on the coffee table next to them, and giggled when she felt two hands grab her waist and pull her back until she sat on his lap. Hating that she couldn't see him, the witch flipped herself around, slipping her leg over him so she could straddle his lap. Her hands went up and rested on the back of Scorpius' neck, playing with the soft baby hairs that could be found. "How'd I do, I don't think I've brushed anyone's hair in a couple years," Scorpius asked, his hands massaging the skin of her waist.

Tingles and sparks bursted through Rose when his fingers grazed her, just like she felt every single time he touched her since the first time. And though she was so comfortable and free around Scorpius, she couldn't believe he still excited her with the smallest things. "You did marvelous," Rose commented, her cheeks still flushed from her warm shower. Her fingers stroked through his unbelievably soft hair, enjoying how the silver in it shone in the light of the room. "I'll have to be sure to return the favor some time."

"I'll hold you to it," Scorpius promised, sneaking a peck on her nose quickly. Rose then seemed to lose herself though, he noted, as she trailed her hands down his front until they reached his tie. She bit her lip, a sign of nervousness, as she undid his tie with skilled fingers, pulling it from his neck and draping it on the back of the sofa when it was undone.

The wizard patiently waited for Rose to say what was on her mind, knowing that she was surely debating whether or not she should speak, as he knew her better than the back of his own hand. "Scorpius," the witch said quietly after a moment of silence, though she knew she had his attention. Rose looked up to find him intensely watching her as their eyes connected, her hands abstractedly toying with various different part of him; his collar, the buttons to his shirt. "I was talking to Zoee the other day," she started off, her bottom lip slightly reddened from her abuse.

"Oh, this can't be good," Scorpius joked, squeezing her waist in a teasing manner. She gave him a dirty look, though it was hardly mean at all, smacking his chest lightly.

Her eyes looked deep into his, and Scorpius could see everything she felt so easily. She was his open book, and he would read it until the day he died. "We found we had some spare time after she finished reviewing with me all the lessons I had missed, and we somehow go onto quite a strange topic." Rose casted her eyes down, and she blushed a deep pink, her wet hair slipping off her shoulder and moving to her face.

After an encouraging and intrigued noise from Scorpius, the girl went on. "We got to talking about," Rose paused, trying to beat her shyness for just a moment. "Well we talked about, um, penis' and… b-blowjobs," the witch confessed, hardly raising her voice above a whisper, as if afraid someone would walk in and yell at her for her language. Scorpius didn't think he had ever been as surprised in his entire life as he was in that moment. His pale hands that rested on her waist tightened ever so slightly without his knowing, and he felt his heart speed up as the dirty word fell from her lips.

Rose kept her blue eyes down, too nervous to look up and see Scorpius' reaction. "And after we left I began wondering," the witch confessed, finally glancing up as she was too curious to not look at her wizard. Her voice was timid and soft when she spoke, "Scorpius, are you disappointed that I haven't done anything like that for you? Do you want me-"

Scorpius cut his witch off, as he had finally recovered from his initial shock. "Of course not, Rose," he quickly reassured her. "I am not disappointed in the least! I would never trade any minute I spend with you. I adore spending time with you, even if we do nothing."

Grabbing one of his hands from it's spot on her waist, Rose brought it to the front of her and played with his fingers using both of her own hands. "So, you're not upset that we haven't slept with each other yet?" Scorpius could hardly believe what Rose was saying, but then again he knew her, and he knew how self conscious she could get.

"Not at all," Scorpius answered honestly. His free hand came up and cupped Rose's cheek, a smile finding him when he watched as she leaned her head into his hand and closed her eyes, like a cat craving touch.

His thumb strokes over her soft skin, admiring the freckles that were littered across her face. "I'm glad, because I think I would like to wait for marriage until I have s-sex." And as she stuttered over the word slightly, Scorpius agreed that she wasn't ready, as she couldn't even say what it was without blushing profoundly. "Are you okay with that? Or d-do-" but Rose's quite words were cut off when Scorpius spoke in a true voice.

"Rosie, listen to me," he asked of her, and nodded into his palm, not removing his hand from her. "Being with you has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wouldn't give you, nor our time together, up for anything."

Rose could see the truth in his grey eyes, which surprised her, as she normally couldn't read anything off him. "I know that you aren't ready to sleep with me," Scorpius said, and when Rose opened her mouth to speak, he cut her off. "Even before you told me, I knew it. And I don't mind at all. I will wait years and years for you, until you decide that you're ready. And as for all that stuff Zoee told you about, you don't need to worry about me, I'm satisfied just satisfying you. I am not saying I don't want any of that, it's just I know you aren't ready yet, and I'm fine with that."

"But I _want_ to pleasure you and satisfy you the way you do to me." Rose protested, really wanting to please Scorpius. The wizard looked deep into her pools of blue, and he could feel her desire.

His thumb stroked across her cheek, admiring the blush that was always there for some reason or another. "Alright," Scorpius said, watching as a light of excitement was found in Rose's eyes. "I'll teach you how to satisfy me, but not now. I want to wait awhile, make sure I get a chance to down right pamper you before you get a turn." He barked out a laugh when he saw a pout form on Rose's lips, as her hands continued to play with his large one.

"Is this why you were so flustered the other day when I met you at the library," Scorpius asked, and Rose blushed as she nodded. "Don't listen to Zoee," he said in a light voice, "I'm sure she can be helpful for something, but you needn't listen to her when it comes to me and you." Rose's eyes were wide as she nodded to him, her hand stroking his fingers softly up and down.

As she bit her lip, she thought if she should tell Scorpius about the dream she had the previous night. It had been on her mind all day, and she had blushed crimson when she saw Scorpius that day because of it. The wizard just watched on silently, knowing Rose was fighting internally with herself. "Can I tell you something else?" She finally asked once her courage was built up, and he replied that she always could. "But can you promise not to tell anyone..?"

Once the words were out of her mouth, Rose knew she sounded silly. Scorpius furrowed his blonde brows, slightly put off by the thought of her not trusting him. "Of course, love. You know that everything we do is just between us. I would never tell anyone about our private life."

The second she heard him, Rose colored deeply again, feeling guilty as she had been the one to talk about their private life slightly yesterday with Zoee. "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just, I'm a little embarrassed about this." Scorpius nodded reassuringly, telling her she could tell him anything. "Alright, well last night, after talking to Zoee, I had a dream."

The little witch paused there and Scorpius waited, though his pulse sped up and he ached for her to continue. "I dreamt of me and you; and I was doing those things that we talked about-"

"What were you doing?" Scorpius interrupted her, _needing_ to hear her say it. Rose simply got darker with every second, and the witch felt the need to fan her hot face.

Biting her lip, she looked into her lap and took in a breath. Rose looked up at Scorpius through her lashes a moment later, looking much too innocent for what she was doing. "Well we had been kissing, and it was so lovely," Rose said, and the wizard enjoyed her far off look as she recalled the dream, glad he had this sort of effect on her. "And then I felt _you_ ," her musical voice spoke, and Scorpius nodded, knowing what she was talking about. "And then you let me see you-but this time without your trousers on. And then you let me t-touch you. And, oh, Scorpius! It seemed wonderful, and I want to do it so bad."

"When I woke up I was practically shaking because it seemed so interesting and nice. And you seemed to enjoy it so much that I want to give it to you more than anything." Rose huffed out a breath as her fast talking ended, as she nervously peeked at her boyfriend.

Scorpius was slightly shocked, though his lust and sudden desire overpowered it easily. "Baby, I want that too. Though I just want to wait a little longer. But believe me, in good time I will teach you everything you need to know to get me on my knees in seconds. Alright?" The witch nodded, and could hold back no longer as she pushed forward so she could press a kiss to Scorpius' talented and smooth lips… hoping to relive just a small part of her dream.

* * *

Hours later, in the thick of the silent night, a rustling and thrashing woke up Scorpius suddenly. The wizard looked frantically around the dark room, his eyes quickly adjusting to the blackness in his panic. He felt the movement next to him again, and found Rose tangled up in the sheets of her bed, which she apparently pulled off him in their sleep. His witch had sweat dotted across her forehead, and she panted out breaths as she whimpered and whined.

Scorpius watched as her head tossed back and forth on the pillows, her little fists clenching the sheets and her legs rubbing against the bed. " _No! Stop_ ," Rose cried out, and the wizard instantly knew she was having a night terror.

"Rosie," Scorpius said as he grabbed one of her shoulders and shook it gently. But the witch was deaf to him, and the wizard felt himself grew weak when he saw the tear that fell down Rose's face. "Baby, wake up," he said a bit louder this time, surprised when Rose actually reacted. The girl gasped up, as if having been held underwater for too long, as her eyes flew open. Rose instantly panicked, as she looked around wildly and shivered in fear. "Rose, it's me."

Blue eyes softened when she heard the voice, and though she could hardly make out his outline, she crawled forward and pushed herself into his embrace. Scorpius wrapped his strong arms around her, giving Rose more comfort than he would ever know, and he felt her slowly calm down. "It's alright now, you're safe. He's gone forever, love," Scorpius whispered to Rose, holding her against him as she took in deep breaths of his scent.

The wizard simply held Rose and cooed to her for awhile, rubbing her back and rocking her slightly. A few minutes later he looked down and found her fast asleep on his chest, her tears dried on her face. He listened to the sweet sounds of her little snores, the small noise satisfying to his ears. Lips came down and kissed her forehead several times over again, as he leaned against the pillows, keeping her in his arms the whole rest of the night through. Scorpius fell asleep with Rose in seconds, at peace knowing she was safe in his embrace.

* * *

A small giggle left to pink lips, and a similar noise left the mouth that grinned gayly. "Stop it," Rose said lightly, trying not to smile as she peeked her eyes over the large piece of paper she held in front of her face. Scorpius winked at her, enjoying her blush as he looked back to the roaring fire, like he had been for ten minutes. "Almost done," his witch called out, and he feigned a noise of relief, though he knew he would stay as he was for hours if it pleased her.

After a full minute, Rose spoke again with a tone of pride and accomplishment in her voice. "there! I'm finished." She smiled brilliantly as she looked down at her paper, titling her head to the side to looked at it.

"Let's see this million gallon masterpiece, shall we?" Scorpius eagerly grabbed the paper from her, and was stunned with what he saw. Rose had been joking when she told Scorpius she wanted to draw him, but her silliness quickly faded away when he got into the perfect position for her to draw; stretched out and posed at the pillows of her bed. She let out a great laugh when he went as far as unbuttoning the top few of his shirt for her. The wizard had thought she had been messing around, but when he saw how well done it was, he became astonished. "Merlin, Rosie, this is amazing!"

As she shook her head fervently, curls bounced around her head, allowing her to hide some of the blush on her cheeks with her hair. "Please, that is hardly anything. You should see my Uncle Charlie draw, it wonderful! He can take anything and put it on parchment, and you'd think it was real." Scorpius took one last look at the drawing, admiring its skill, and put it on her bedside table. When he looked back forward, the wizard was shocked to find Rose much closer to him, as he hadn't felt the bed move. "I must admit, though," the Ravenclaw said as she inched herself closer on her knees. "You were easily the best model for me to go off of."

Scorpius was at a loss for words as Rose suddenly pounced forward, and he found himself pushed down onto the bed with her little body on top of his. "Oh," he let out, his hand instinctively going to hold her waist as her hands settled flat on his hard breasts. Thin legs sat bestride his wide torso, and Scorpius groaned aloud when he caught sight of Rose's light grey knickers as they peaked from beneath her skirt. The wizard hardly had time to recuperate before Rose was leaning down, her lips finding his like there was a magnet pulling them together.

The couple wasted no time diving straight into the kiss, as their lips massaged and their tongues snuck into mouths to fight and mock each other. One pale hand stroked up the side of Rose's body from her waist to tangle itself in her hair, using the grip to pull her closer down to him. Rose let out a great giggle when she found herself suddenly flipped onto her back, with Scorpius hovering over her, one of his hand behind her head while the other went behind her back.

Scorpius used his hand at her spine to pull Rose up to him, enjoying how she arched her body up to meet his. Fire and lust pumped through the veins of both, their bodies heating up as they made love with their moves. Rose felt as one hand pulled the end of her shirt out of her skirt, taking its time to go up and unbutton the line. The witch hardly even felt ashamed or shy around Scorpius anymore, so when the shirt fell open, she extracted her arms from his hair to pull it off the rest of the way. Grey eyes were only able to look at the freed skin a few minutes later, when Rose pulled her lips from his as they trailed down his neck, peppering kisses.

Scorpius knew he would never be use to the breathtaking view of Rose without a shirt, and one of his hands came out and settled on her stomach. The wizard felt odd looking at his hand, noticing how pale it looked on her tan skin, and how bear-like it appeared as it covered almost all over her skinny front. Rose let out a noise of disapproval in the back of her throat, and Scorpius felt a smirk overtake his face as he complied to her needs and moved his hand.

The witch smiled against the smooth skin of his throat when she felt a certain release as his warm touch moved up to stroke all over her skin; up to her shoulder, across her tiny stomach, around her bra. Scorpius thought he would never get use to how incredibly silky Rose's skin was, it was the softest thing he had ever felt. She felt as if her body was set on fire, and Scorpius' hands were cool, giving her the pleasure she ached for. A sweet moan, one that sounded like a prayer, left Rose when Scorpius finally moved his hand over one of her breasts. Though she bite his neck playfully when it left and moved to her back, hovering over the clasp of her bra. "Can I," Scorpius' rough voice asked, and Rose nodded almost immediately, her lips busy as they made a mark on his snowy skin.

So, with a skill that Rose didn't care to think about, Scorpius flicked the clasp open, though he didn't pull the garment off her. His hand rubbed up and down her skinny arms, and Scorpius grab the straps of her bra and pull it off her arms only after she whined at him, "take it off." Rose pulled back when she felt the cool air of the room hit her breasts, feeling satisfied with the dark bruise that was forming on his neck.

Blue eyes looked up and found Scorpius' eyes staring at her naked breasts, and though Rose's first instinct was to feel shy, she stopped herself when he looked back up to her quickly. She saw nothing in his stormy eyes but pure lust and desire, and Rose knew she had nothing to be ashamed of with Scorpius.

The wizard felt himself harden until he felt a painful pulse in his trousers when he saw her perfect breasts; her pink nipples, the round and delicious shape of her perky globes. Unable to help himself, he sent a quick glance up to Rose, and gave himself what he wanted. His lips swiftly found one of her peaks, and he kissed it lightly before drawing it into his mouth. " _Oh_ ," Rose cried out, unable to stop herself as her hands moved and grabbed fistfuls of Scorpius' hair, pulling it tight and not caring if it hurt him. His lips felt so heavenly, and it sent shivers down her spine, wracking her body with wondrous sparks. The hair of his beard tickled her ribs as his bangs teased her collarbones, making the sensations all the better.

Scorpius smirked against Rose's breast when he felt her hips unconsciously open up and allow him to fall into the cradle of her legs when he grazed his teeth lightly over her tight nipple. Just as he switched to give the twin the same attention, he brought his hand up and placed it on her thigh. Rose felt her eyes roll into her head when his rough hand started stroking up and down her thigh, leaving a burning path that left her wanting more rather than scolding her. "Yes," she whimpered out, her mind clouded with pleasure. She knew nothing except for that Scorpius was doing horribly beautiful things to her, and she wished that he would never stop.

Scorpius felt his heart beat wildly, every sound that Rose made turning him on beyond belief, bringing him to a point of arousal that he had never felt before. The tip of his pink tongue circled her nipple, and he reveled in the way his witch clenched her legs tighter around him and let out a long moan as he did so. Rose was nearly shaking from excitement when Scorpius slipped a hand under her skirt, stroking the sensitive skin of her very inner thighs. Rose huffed out a breath, pulling Scorpius closer to her chest with the hands she held in his hair. "Don't stop," she mummered incoherently, and the wizard vowed he would never stop if she kept responding as she was.

Fingers tentatively grazed over the front of cotton knickers, and Scorpius enjoyed how utterly soaked Rose was for him. He allowed himself to simply stroke feather light over her, never pressing down in the way he knew she wanted him to. Rose quickly became frustrated, as she physically thrummed and pulsed for him, feeling as if she was about to explode if he didn't touch her properly. She was, however, thrown off when she felt Scorpius pull his hand up to the top band of her panties, and slip his finger under them only a fraction of a centimeter, before freezing.

"Are you okay with this," Scorpius pulled his lips off of Rose chest so he could speak to her, asking permission to go a step further. He could obviously tell that his witch wanted him to, but a memory stuck out in his mind and rung loudly. Scorpius thought back years ago when him and his father sat in the parlor, as Draco told him something that stayed with him the rest of his life, ' _Always ask. Even if you're sure she wants something, ask.'_

Rose nodded her head fast, though Scorpius wanted to hear her voice, so he kept his hand hovering over her knickers. "Yes, yes, yes… please," the witch begged after she realized what he wanted, feeling ready to break from her aching need. Luckily, her moan of a plea was enough for Scorpius, and he snuck his hand down under her panties.

Scorpius had felt a witch or two before, but he was surprised when he felt how fine and soft the small patch of hair that laid above Rose's sex was. His fingers moved down further, and the couple unified in a gasp as his finger came in contact with her dripping wet core. "Oh fuck, Rose. You feel so good; so soft and wet and bloody perfect," Scorpius let out in a low moan, never feeling such heavenly skin. His words went straight to her core, causing the flames of the fire in her stomach spread further. The witch let out a long groan, feeling how different and new it was to have his fingers directly on her skin, yet how alluring and addictive it was. Rose tugged on Scorpius' hair, and pulled him back into a kiss, and his hand went up and massaged her breasts, doing the job his mouth no longer was. They kissed with such a ferocity, it was a wonder how they ever kept apart.

Skilled, long fingers smoothed down the front of Rose, parting her lips gently as he rubbed along the satin skin. His digits were quickly soaked with her juices, and the wizard wished for nothing more than to bring his hand up to his mouth and taste her. Scorpius stroked up and down her sweet cunt several times, before he reached up and played with his favorite part of her. Rose gasped into his mouth as he rubbed his finger gently over her clit, and he swallowed the noise, hungry for more. No longer trying to hold back, the witch pulled back from the tasty kiss and threw her head back on her pillows, closing her eyes as she let her body lose itself. Scorpius went to work and left four different love bites covering her breasts that were arched up to him.

An aching need Rose was unaware she had started to unwind in the very pit of her stomach, becoming loose with every stroke of Scorpius' hand. His pale fingers worked over her lips, stroking all around them with a tentative touch, and over to work her bundle of nerves in the little bud. He didn't go anywhere near her entrance, nor did he even think about entering her, as he knew Rose was already too close to the edge. Her warmth felt inviting and her slickness felt too good, Scorpius couldn't help but close his eyes imaged sliding his pulsing length up and down her swollen lips, as he bite down hard on her upper breast.

Rose felt that she was losing herself, yet she didn't dare try to rein herself back in. Scorpius rubbed his thumb in circles over her clit, and the witch felt it was all too much to handle. Scorpius pulled his lips from her breast and rested them against her neck, as they both panted hard, almost shivering form their excitement. The witch felt as if hot lava was being poured into her when she heard the words Scorpius whispered into her ear, "Merlin, I can't wait to taste you."

The wizard was forced to pressed his erection into her mattress to keep from nearly coming in his pants when he heard the mewls Rose started to let out. "Oh my," she hollered out, her hands moving to grasp at her sheets for purchase.

It only took three more circles of her clit before Rose was pushed past her breaking point. A brilliant, blinding pleasure filled her body, and she felt herself shake uncontrollably. "Oh, yes… _Scorpius_!" Rose screamed out loudly, not giving a care if Dawson in the next room heard, nor anyone else. One of her hands reached down and clutched hard onto the forearm of the hand that was still stroking her aching core. Scorpius pulled back and watched, wanting to burn the image of Rose into his mind forever. His skilled fingers continued to lightly stroke her through her release, as his entire hand was soaked with her delicious essence. He watched as she squeezed her eyes shut and tossed her head around, as she clutched Scorpius' hips with her legs tightly, feeling them vibrate from her sweet release.

Her bare breasts heaved up and down as she breathed hard, and Scorpius felt proud when he saw the dark bruises on her chest. The glorious ecstasy pulled through Rose for several more long moments, and she felt herself pulse, though it no longer felt achy as her needs had been fulfilled. Scorpius watched, completely entranced, as Rose slowly came back from cloud nine, her head steadily becoming clearer with every deep breath she took.

When blue eyes reopened she found Scorpius looking down to her, and she nearly came again from the desirable look in his eyes. "You are so fucking gorgeous," Scorpius swore as he suddenly leaned down and kissed her passionately.

"I love you so much," Rose panted when they pulled back a few moments later, both red lipped and disheveled looking. Scorpius moved and laid on the bed beside his witch, winding his arm around her waist and pulled her so she was laying on his chest. And as the couple laid there and came down from their high, Rose knew that no one would ever make her feel as good as Scorpius did.


	61. Chapter 61

A sense of nervousness flittered through the stomachs of every student standing in the Great Hall, from those at the top to those at the very bottom. A light chatter filled the room, a noise that was used to distract the anxious minds of all. Every seventh-year student that attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was present, all ready to take their last final examinations ever.

The date was June the twentieth, and all the students in the castle buzzed with excitement in thought of the summer break that started in a week. But no one was as pleased as the seventh-years, who graduated in a mere four days. They all had spent long hours thinking and planning ahead for their future, and it finally seemed to be right in front of them.

Rose wore a huge smiled, happy to be surrounded by friends, as she knew she would surely be on the verge of a mental breakdown if she hadn't been distracted. Her stomach was in knots, and her hands were clammy as they toyed with her bracelet. And though Rose was the top student in her year, and had never in her life scored anything lower than an ' _Outstanding_ ', she felt her whole future was on the line. The thought was silly, Rose knew, she had already been accepted, in fact she was rather invited, to the St Mungo's School for Healers. But she had never taken an exam in her life where she didn't freak out just a tad before hand.

Noticing that his witch was antsy, Scorpius smiled and slipped an arm around Rose's waist, as he bent low and pressed a kiss to her temple. The man ignored the disgusted looks he received from Albus Potter and Frank Longbottom, as he spoke to his girl. "You alright, little one," Scorpius asked in a kind voice, his thumb stroking her waste comfortingly.

Looking up to him with big eyes, Rose nodded and smiled at the concerned man, happy to have him by her side. "Good," Albus piped in after her reply, "you have nothing to worry about at all. In fact, I don't even know why they are making you take this damned exam. They well know how bloody brilliant you are, it's just foolish." Frank and Nate, who stood by Albus, nodded in agreement, and Rose tried hard not to blush.

"That would hardly be fair to everyone else. Besides, I sort of want to take it," Rose admitted, noticing the crazy looks she got from Albus. The boy was just about to surely call her nutters when McGonagall suddenly bursted through the doors to the Great Hall, and spoke up loudly in her powerful voice.

The older woman smiled as she walked past all her students, and though she would never admit it, she felt the same sting of pain she always felt knowing her children of seven years were going off into the real world and leaving her nest. "Hush now," she chided, and the group of forty men and women went silent almost immediately. "Thank you," Minerva said once all eyes were on her at the end of the room, "now, your seventh-year final exams will be starting soon, so I will you all please go and find your assigned seat so we can get this started."

Bodies scattered, and Rose squeezed Albus tight in a hug, wishing him luck with a smile. She then returned to Scorpius' side, and she rose on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek and do the same, grinning back at him when he flashed her a handsome smile. Rose almost let out a gasp when Scorpius reached out and grabbed a handful of her bum, and squeezed it lightly. "Let's keep our hands to ourselves, Mister Malfoy," Professor Longbottom said in an authoritative voice from his spot on the side.

The couple instantly turned and caught the man looking to them, though his face was calm and less harsh than his voice. Rose blushed deeply, as Scorpius seemed hardly affected, but she expected nonetheless from him and his emotionless face. "Good luck, doll," the wizard said as he pulled out Rose's chair for her, winking quickly as he went to go find his own desk.

A steady silence filled the hall quickly, and moments later each student mirrored each other; hunched over with a quill in hand, and a look of either determination or confusion. About half way through their time, a quiet humming could be heard throughout the hall. Rose sang ever so silently to herself, unaware she was doing so, yet doing it in the most beautiful of ways.

From across the room, Scorpius looked up and smirked at his witch, knowing the pretty noise was coming from her. He also caught Albus looking to Rose, and when he turned back to his paper, the Slytherin spotted a smile on the man's face. The humming continued on for several minutes and not one person complained, as no one found it bothering, rather the opposite. But a moment later, the headmistress spoke up when she finally heard her Head Girl's quiet singing. "Miss Weasley," Minerva said from the head of the hall, grabbing most students attention and not just the intended. "Although your singing is quite delightful, I do believe that it might be distracting others. Perhaps you could treat us with a song after this is through."

Rose thought she had never felt her face burn as hot as it did in that moment, and she quickly apologized in a small, mousy voice, and went back to her paper. Scorpius was slightly put out, as his girlfriend's singing had brought him some comfort and helped him concentrate.

On entire hour later, each student was told to put down their quills, as the exam was finished. Two expressions ruled over the faces of each student; relief and accomplished, _or_ panic and disappointment.

* * *

Several hours after, Rose and Scorpius laid out on the grassy fields of Hogwarts, enjoying their last few days at the place that had come to be their home. The tall wizard laid on his back with his hands folded behind his head, with his witch's head rested on his chest, her body snuggled up to his. Blue and grey eyes looked off into the distance to watch as the sun settled, just as fluffy clouds rolled by above, causing the two of them to occasionally call out shapes.

A comfortable silence had set on the couple, as they listened to laughing students and cheering Quidditch games off in the distance. The sun was still warming the land, and the light breeze made the air seem more comfortable than a blanket. The pair was far off, with no one near, but that was their purpose after all.

Rose sighed as Scorpius combed his fingers through her hair, which was fanned out across the healthy grass. She listened as his heart beat steadily and his breathing continued on deeply, a comfort to her knowing he would never fail to be her rock. Her fingertips dragged lightly across his chest, feeling the buttons of his shirt, and tracing the outline of some of his tattoos that she had memorized from his habit of falling asleep shirtless.

A lazy smile stretched across her face when Scorpius reached out and grabbed her tinkering hand, and moved it so they interlocked their knuckles. Rose giggled as they then started a thumb war, in which Scorpius let her win almost every time, as she knew he could easily overpower her tiny fingers with one little push.

Scorpius smiled as he looked down to Rose, feeling a calming and extraordinarily happy warmth fill his stomach. If anyone had asked the wizard just months ago if he ever planned on finding someone to spend his life with, he would have laughed out loud and told them that love was an idiotic and unrealistic idea of false hope. But now… now he knew he was wrong.

Rose meant absolutely everything to Scorpius, and he knew he would be unable to live a day if she ever left him. His stunning little angel had giving his life a whole new meaning, and he felt she was his one thing worth living for. Rose made him happier than he had ever felt with just one small smile, and he felt his purpose in life was to make her feel as he happy as she made him. "Do you know something," Scorpius asked out of the blue, speaking for the first time in twenty minutes, interrupting their peaceful silence. Rose hummed and looked up to him, her ocean eyes carefree and big, just as Scorpius thought they should always be. His deep voice, which was still able to melt Rose down, then spoke up, "I love you to pieces."

The wizard heard how utterly consumed by love he sounded, but he couldn't care less when he saw the huge smile that his words brought to Rose's pretty lips. "And I love you more than you could ever imagine," she replied in her light voice, as she scooted up to peck him on the lips. Moving her head back to his chest, she laced her fingers with his hand and held it close to her heart.

Thinking on about all that happened that day, Rose realized just how close she was to becoming an adult and leaving her school. And all of a sudden, a horrid sense of panic and fear settled into her pit. Scorpius felt as her heart sped up, but he said nothing as he waited for her to speak for herself. "Scorpius," the witch finally said after two minutes, moving so she could look up into his eyes. It was his turn to hum in reply, as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"What will happen to us," she asked, throwing the man off guard with her unexpected question. "What will become of us? I mean, we are leaving in four days, and we both have plans for our future. We haven't even thought about each other." Scorpius could hear as her voice started to rise in panic, as she squeezed his hand tighter. "I-I don't want to leave you… I don't even know if I physically could leave you."

Scorpius kissed the top of her head and spoke shortly, "don't worry about that. You will never have to worry yourself about leaving me, because I am never going to leave you so long as you still want me." Grey eyes brightened as he watched Rose nod enthusiastically, agreeing that she would always want him. "You're right that we haven't talked about our future, but that is because we don't have to. I know that I am going to stay by your side forever, and it doesn't matter what else happens along the way, as long as we have each other."

Rose nodded as she felt her eyes water from joy. "You're right. As long as we have each other, we're fine," she agreed, and she then pulled her hand from her chest and kissed his knuckles several times over. "Do you know what I think," the girl mused, and went on when Scorpius hummed back. "I think we have a special love, one that comes from the heavens. I think our love comes from within the stars." Rose laid her head back down on her chest and they watched together as the sun faded into the velvet darkness of the night sky.

The twinkling stars then appeared a short time later, and the couple smiled as they held each other close and looked up to the heavens. Rose and Scorpius played their favorite game of counting the stars, which always led to the little witch into a fit of giggles over her boyfriend's horrendous skills. A nice silence settled back upon them, and even as everyone started to pile back into the castle, they remained. The pair stayed out late, simply holding one another and counting their blessing.

* * *

A hushed whimper of fear woke the light sleeper, causing him to open his eyes, letting them adjust to the dark for a moment. Scorpius reached a hand out when he didn't sense Rose's presence, feeling for her. The couple had gotten into the habit of sleeping together, as the witch was uncomfortable sleeping alone. When Scorpius didn't feel her anywhere on the big bed, he sat up, his eyes squinting through the dark room, a thick silence in the air.

Another quiet noise of distress was let out, and the wizard's heart speed up, knowing it was coming from his girl. He quickly threw the blankets off his body and swung his legs to the floor, searching the room for Rose.

A silent sigh of relief left Scorpius when he spotted the small outline of the witch, standing a foot away from the door. As he approached her, he could hear her erratic breathing, shallow and uneven, and he began to worry again. "Rosie," the man carefully called out, seeing how her body tensed, but showed no other signs of hearing him. Panic filled the man when he was a few steps away from her, and saw Rose holding her wand in an outstretched hand, that shook terribly.

As he walked forward, he saw how her pretty face was contorted in horror, looking as if she had seen a ghost. So with slow steps and his hands reached out, Scorpius carefully approached Rose, knowing she was frightened for some reason. "Love," he said, though she did nothing this time, as if not hearing him. She simply continued to stare ahead at the door to her room.

Pale fingers carefully brushed against a skinny arm, causing the girl to let out a gasp and quickly spin to face Scorpius. Rose's eye grew in size and her wand, which was now pointed in his face, shook even more. The wizard quickly snatched her wand out of her hand, unarming her and shocking her. "Rose, what's wro-" Scorpius called out, but was cut off.

"Sh," the witch hushed him curtly, her eyes wide and scared. "He's here," Rose whispered, looking around the room like a maniac.

Suddenly realization hit Scorpius, and he wondered if the girl was sleep walking, as he was sure she knew that Damian was dead. Shaking his head, Scorpius' deep voice called out, still heavily laced with sleep, "no, Rose. No one is here. It is just you and me."

The witch seemed to calm at his words, as she slouched from her tense position, and her eyes relaxed. "Come on, doll," Scorpius cooed, careful as he grabbed her arms, pleased she didn't flinch this time. He watched as her eyes slid down until they were almost completely shut, looking tired and lazy.

Placing her wand down on the bedside table, Scorpius led the witch back into bed, allowing her to climb in and lay down. Draping the covers over her, the wizard laid down beside her, smiling when she reached out for his hand. The witch clasped his hand and brought it up to her face, rubbing it against her cheek and resting it beside her.

"Don't worry, little lamb, your safe," Scorpius called out, watching her with intense eyes. His words seemed to do the trick, as she nodded with the smallest smile on her lips, holding his hand close to her as she snuggled into her pillows and fell back into a deep sleep.

Scorpius watched her for the rest of the night, making sure she didn't wake again, worried for his love.

* * *

For the first time in a long time, a sense of nervousness coursed through the mind of Scorpius Malfoy. The wizard had an extraordinary ability to keep a cool head in most all situations, which granted to be a gift throughout his life. Yet, on that sunny and cloudless day, he felt the irking sense of anxiety reside within him.

Standing in the Slytherin locker room, Scorpius was clad in his green uniform, feeling the cool texture of the gloves Rose had got him months ago. Grey eyes watched coolly as his team rushed around the space; some doing sit up's or push up's, some simply still trying to get dressed, some polishing their brooms, and some snogging. "Oi," Scorpius shouted at Zoee and Luciano who looked as if they were trying to consume each other's faces, his outside much calmer than his inside felt. "Stop bloody trying to swallow each others tongue and get your head in the game."

The couple pulled apart, neither blushed or abashed at the comment or the fact that they had just been seen in front of everyone. They both stood and walked over to where Scorpius was, just as the rest of the team did. "Alright, you lot, this is the last game I will every play in my entire career, and I will be damned if we let those fucking Gryffindors take a victory from us!" The room cheered loudly, edged on by their captains words. "I know we can win this game, just as we have every game this year and before. There is no way in hell we are going to lose, as long as we all keep cool heads and stick to the play. Now, let's make this the best game we ever played!"

Scorpius' deep voice boomed through the locker room as his team rolled on with him, all of them feeling the adrenalin pumping through their veins. As the wizard looked around the room at his team, he couldn't help but feel proud at how far they had all come together, and was sad knowing he would never play another game with them.

Just then a quiet, timid knock was heard at the locker room door, and Scorpius caught Zoe's eye as he went over to answer it, rolling his eyes when she winked at him. The wizard felt calmness wash over him when he found a short witch standing at the door, wearing a shy smile on her lips. "I know it probably isn't a good idea to come and visit you minutes before your big game. And I know that you are probably really busy, but I just wanted to wish you luck-"

Rose's sweet voice was cut off when two big hands reached to hold the side of her face, as a pair of delicious lips landed on hers and swallowed her rambling words. Her eyes instantly shut and Scorpius passionately massaged his lips against her, giving his all into the kiss. The Slytherin found that his witch's soft and tempting lips were the perfect distraction for his worries.

The couple stayed locked together in a kiss until a catcall could be heard from inside the locker room, along with Luciano's whining voice, "and you just yelled at us for snogging! Bloody hypocrite." Rose pulled back, though she remained half hidden by Scorpius when he turned to face his teammates, a lovely blush on her cheeks.

"I'm the captain, I'll do whatever the fuck I want," Scorpius challenged, as his arm winded around Rose's waist and pulled her so she stood beside him, stopping her from hiding in embarrassment. The wizard saw how her blue eyes went wide from his curse, and he quickly apologized as he bent down and kiss her cheek.

Zoee reappeared from the bathroom, and smiled at the new guest. "Nice to see your bright and shining face, Rose!" The Ravenclaw smiled back at her friend, happy as she noticed how Zoee never seemed to be in a foul mood.

Scorpius saw how all the younger men of the room stared longingly at his pretty girlfriend, no matter how Slytherin they were and how good they seemed to be at hiding their expressions. "Thanks for stopping by, love," the wizard said to his girlfriend, pecking her on the lips in hopes of getting the boys to stop staring. A smirk found him when he noticed how they all looked away quickly, going to do busy work.

Rose smiled prettily back at Scorpius, nodding happily. "It was no problem. I just wanted to come by and wish you all luck! Though at the rate you're going, I'm sure you don't need it!" The team smiled back at the kind girl, unable to do anything but feel appreciative for her.

"So, Rosie, you're rooting for us snakes, and not your own family," Luciano asked with a smirk in an appalled tone. The other Slytherins laughed when he dramatically fell back onto one of the sixth-years, forcing them to catch him and haul him up before he hit the floor.

Laughing, Rose shook her head. "I'm rooting for both teams. I mean, I am the Head Girl, and it would be awful of me to pick a favorite House. I'm neutral," she explained.

Luciano, who was back on his own feet, nodded. "Oh, alright," he said in a silly tone. "Keep telling yourself that, Rosie, but we all know you're secretly rooting for Slytherin. Although, I can't blame you, we are the best after all." Rose giggled as she shook her head at the man's antics, just as Colton Creevey's voice boomed out that their was only five minutes remaining.

"I better go," the Ravenclaw said in a kind voice, smiling one last time at everyone before turning back to Scorpius. Raising herself onto her toes, the witch kissed Scorpius' bearded cheek, just as she whispered to him, "good luck. I love you and I'm sure you'll do amazing." And just before she pulled away, she quickly spoke even quieter, "I know you'll crush those Lions."

Scorpius looked to Rose as she left, noticing how she giggled and blew him a kiss when she saw the surprised look on his face. The wizard managed to give her bum a good hard smack before she left, eliciting a squeak from her as she turned and gave him a look before sending him a quick smile as she shut the door behind her.

The small witch fought her way through thick crowds of people; some students, some parents, and some professional Quidditch scouters. "Excuse me," Rose politely hollered in her loudest and most assertive voice, though it did little to her advantage. After an entire minute of pushing her way, the Ravenclaw finally made it to a seat at the front of the bleachers, in her House's section, as she didn't want to seem to biased.

Along her way, the witch spotted both of Scorpius' parents, along with all four of his grandparents, whom she smiled and waved at, as she was too far away to go and speak to them. Draco and Astoria waved and grinned back at her, seated in the spot with all the other guests. And though Rose didn't spot them, she knew a large chunk of her family was there too; her parents, her Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, her uncles Charlie and Bill, her grandparents, and her cousins James, Louis, and Fred.

A smile found the witch when she spotted Elliot and Robert waving at her, flagging her over to the seat in between them that they left spare for her. She made her way over, not believing quite how packed the pitch was, but then again, it was the very last game for several different students who had played their entire lives. "Hey, Rosie, how are you," Elliot asked as he slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer for a hug, or as good as a side embrace could get while he was still sat in his wheelchair.

The three of them chatted casually, laughing and joking around until a couple minutes later Colton Creevey's voice could be heard throughout the pitch. Rose squeezed her hands together in her lap, feeling her tell tale anxiety already starting to creep into her before the game had even begun. "You alright," Robert asked from her left side, a concerned look on his face. He had known Rose since their first day at Hogwarts, and had gone to every Quidditch game that he wasn't in with her. And since Albus joined the Gryffindor team in his third year, Robert learned of Rose's fear for the sport and how she felt while her family played in the games.

"It'll be fine, Ro," Robert comforted her, rubbing his hand over hers. "Hugo, Albus, and Scorpius are all phenomenal flyers, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. So relax, I mean, this is after all the last game we will ever watch while still attending Hogwarts. Just enjoy yourself." Rose looked to Robert and smiled as she nodded, trusting his words. She wondered when her awkward teenage friend turned into such a mature and kind young man.

Her blue eyes watched as the two teams came out from separate sides, making their way across the huge field. She felt her heart stutter when she spotted how ruggedly handsome and well built Scorpius looked in his uniform, and she couldn't help but feel jealous when she saw more than a dozen other witches staring at him too. Rose smiled excitedly when she saw Hugo and Albus in their Gryffindor uniforms, looking mighty and determined.

Scorpius and Albus met in the center of the field, proudly sporting their surnames in large letters on the back of their shirts, along with the big capital letter 'C' that they wore. Their hands met in the middle and they stared challengingly at each other as they shook hands, promising a clean and flawless game. A minute later the whistle blew, and the game had started, with all fourteen of the students hovering high in the air.

Rose worried herself the entire game through; bouncing her legs, biting her lips, pulling at her bracelet, twitching her fingers. The game seemed to drag on for her, but went by in the blink of an eye for Scorpius. Her eyes flickered to the score, and she saw that it was practically tied, with Gryffindor up by twenty points. The game tottered back and forth, it seemed the two teams were a perfect match for each other, and the Slytherins began to sweat for the first time in a while.

But suddenly, it seemed when no one expected it, the snitch was caught, and the game was over. Rose peered up in the sky when she heard Colton yell out that a victory had been collected, and she couldn't help but let out a bubbly giggle when she saw the triumphant look on Scorpius' face. He raised his fist high in the air, holding the little golden snitch that won his very last game. Looks of pure anger and disappointment ruled over the faces of the Gryffindor team, as they swore and cursed at no one in particular. The victorious team high fived and scream out, flying all over on their brooms, looks of pure ecstasy on their face.

A huge boom of cheering was heard from the Slytherin stands, a noise too loud for everyone's ears, but no one seemed able to control their joy. Suddenly, as if struck by something, Rose was unable to hold herself back, and she ignored Robert's call after her as she ran off. Her tiny feet beat the floor hard as she ran fast, past all the crowds of people, and down the long staircase of groaning wooden boards.

Scorpius' huge smirk only grew when he noticed Rose flee all of a sudden, watching her disappear into the stairs. He quickly flew his broom down and toward the staircase he knew she would fall out of. The Slytherin had just managed to jump off his broom when Rose reappeared, her cheeks tinted pink and her eyes glowing as she continued running towards him. Not giving a care who was watching, Scorpius began running too, his long legs taking much bigger steps towards his little witch.

Running as fast as her little body would permit her to, Rose finally met Scorpius in the center of the field, out of breath, though she hardly noticed. A squeal of excitement left her as she abruptly jumped up into Scorpius' awaiting embrace. His muscled arms pulled her up until she was flush against him, her thin legs going to wrap around his waist as her arms entwined around his neck. One of his hands held up her bum as his other arm wrapped out her waist, pulling her as close as possible.

Not caring that a good amount of their family, not to mention the entire school and more, was watching, they threw caution to the wind. Rose and Scorpius' lips met in a heated kiss, and they were too wrapped up in each other to hear as the crowds exploded again, though this time people from all Houses cheered and called out. The couple kissed passionately for a good minute, before pulling back with flushed cheeks as they stared into each other's eyes, oblivious that everyone was watching them.

One of Rose's petite hands moved forward and cupped Scorpius' face, a matching huge smile on the both of their lips. "Congratulations, babe," the witch said, surprising her boyfriend with the nickname. Scorpius' grin only widened as he heard her, and he pulled her back to kiss her once more, unable to help himself. Catcalls and wolf-whistles were heard, and Rose blushed a beautiful pink color.

As Scorpius stood there in the center of the huge field holding his gorgeous witch, surrounded by hundreds of people, he felt as happy as a man could possibly be. He knew he had everything he ever wanted.


	62. Chapter 62

Please leave me your ideas, thoughts, or questions in the reviews, thanks!

* * *

The stars twinkled and blinked high above, with the moon proudly erect and lit up the night sky, reliable as ever. A couple stood millions of feet below the heavens, though they felt they were already there as they held each other's hands. Thick, grey clouds hung above and held the threat of rain. It was midnight, and Rose and Scorpius, along with all their classmates, would be graduating in fifteen hours. A soft wind blew through the summer air, lightening the June heat, though the night did a good job of it.

Silver eyes like the moon, and blue eyes like the ocean, stared out onto the lake, watching as the surface of the water occasionally jumped from the world beneath it. The couple had snuck off from the Great Hall after dinner, and had walked around the grounds until late that night, spending hours talking and admiring as the sun snuck away. "Scorpius," Rose said, breaking their long silence.

The wizard looked down at his witch, and found her staring at him with wide eyes as she chewed on her pouty bottom lip. "I'm nervous for tomorrow," Rose admitted, her hand squeezing his just a bit tighter. "I don't want to mess up or trip and fall, and make a fool of myself in front of everyone. I've been imagining this moment my entire life, yet, now that it's here I'm terrified."

Stepping so he was in front of her, Scorpius grabbed Rose's other hand and pulled them both up to his mouth so he could kiss them tenderly, causing her to smile sweetly. "Little one, you have nothing to worry about. I know you'll do fine," Scorpius said in a matter of fact voice, and he smirked when Rose asked him how he knew this. "Because you are the brightest witch who has ever lived, and even if you did mess up, people would just think you've done it on purpose, in your clever ways."

The witch shook her head, though she said nothing as she pulled her hands from his so she could wind them around his neck and rest her head against his chest. Far off in the distance a low rumble of thunder was heard, though neither of the two noticed or cared, even as a bright streak of lightning flashed through the sky. Scorpius placed his hands on her waist and held her close, feeling as she kicked her shoes off to feel the texture of the grass beneath her toes, and he couldn't help but smile at her gesture.

Rose could hear the steady, strong pounding of his strong heart beneath her ear, and she listened to it as if it was a song. The air around them blew harder, sending her hair flying crazily in a mess. A sweet humming that matched the beat of his heart escaped Rose, and Scorpius closed his eyes as he listened, feeling the air get thicker and colder with each minute. The wizard grinned when his witch stepped her bare feet onto his, standing on his shoes and letting him hold up her light weight.

A gentle smile found Rose when Scorpius began gently sway them back and forth, eventually moving his feet around in small steps. The tune continued to leave Rose in soft hums, sounding like the most beautiful song to Scorpius. His pale hands gripped her waist as he moved them around, her feet atop his.

An airy giggle escaped the witch when Scorpius suddenly dipped her back far, supporting her as she let her head fall back. When he pulled her back up Rose kissed his lips quickly before resting her head back on his chest and returning to her singing. Another fit of laughter left Rose when Scorpius held her hand above her head and twirled her in circles. Unexpectedly another clap of thunder let out, and the heavens above decided to open up and let rain pour down.

The couple laughed together when they felt themselves get soaked to the bone, their clothes sticking to their skin from the raindrops. It let down so hard they could hardly see three feet in front of them, but neither Rose nor Scorpius had a single care. They continued to hold each other and dance to Rose's humming of Scorpius' heartbeat.

Using his feet as their guide, the wizard twirled them around and danced them until they felt dizzy. Scorpius held Rose tight to him, enjoying her singing as he looked up to the pouring skies and thanked Merlin for allowing him to have her.

The two of them danced around in for ten minutes, not caring that they were dripping wet or that they could get sick from their actions. Scorpius smiled and watched as Rose pulled away from him and arched far back, spreading out her arms to her sides as she felt the rain on her heated skin. He thought she looked as gorgeous as ever; his own angel. "I love you," he told her when she came back up, and her smile lit up as she repeated the phrase back to him. Their lips met a second later, and raindrops slid down their wet faces as he kissed her fervently for a long moment, his hands hot on her skin. Rose leaned her head on his chest once more and continued her song of his heart, feeling her love for him grow with each second.

And so they stayed out there, appreciating their last moments in their second home, dancing to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

* * *

An uneasy feeling settled deep into the pit of a skinny tummy, causing it to feel like it was tied in tight knots which pulled uncomfortably. Rose chewed her bottom lip furiously, not bothered when the metal taste of blood spilled onto her tongue. She knew that not once in her entire life had she ever been so nervous, her body was practically shaking from anticipation, and perhaps fear. Her blue eyes looked down, and she smiled at the gold heels she wore, the pair her Aunt Fleur told her she just _had_ to buy months ago when they went shopping together.

Slim fingers reached down and smoothed over the material of her Ravenclaw blue colored dress, that flowed around her mystically, and looked simply stunning. Each student was asked to wear their House color to the graduation, and for once in her life, Rose was thrilled she hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor, as she looked rather odd in that color red. Her silky brown-red hair was in soft curls, and she wore the diamond hair clip that her mother wore on her wedding day, pinning her hair back out of her face. A thick graduation stole was around her neck, colored a bright gold, rather than the silver that every other student but the Heads wore.

Suddenly there was a knock at her door, and her heels clicked as she rushed forward to open it, smiling when she saw her company. "Professor Longbottom is here, it's time," Dawson informed, looking handsome in his green shirt with his silver neck tie. Rose smiled brightly at the man, causing a flutter to run through his stomach when she shut her door behind her and grabbed his hand. As they walked down her stairs and through their common room, Rose felt a sense of sadness run through as she looked around it one last time.

Sure enough, when they opened the door, Neville was standing on the other said, looking professional in his robes. "You two ready," the professor asked kindly, smiling back at his students when they grinned at him and nodded rather nervously. "Everyone's down there; the guests, and all the others seventh-years," he informed Rose and Dawson on their short walk down to the front castle doors, as the ceremony was held outside. It was a Saturday, and they walked by dozens of students who grinned happily at them as they passed on their way, pleased they only had a day of classes left before they also could leave.

Rose squeezed Dawson's hand hard, but the wizard said nothing, even when he lost all feeling in his fingers. The witch was tremendously pleased to have a familiar by her side, but she wished more than anything that Albus or Scorpius could be with her too. The walk down seemed shorter than a minute, and her heart picked up to an incredible speed when she saw the open doors, letting in the sunshine and warm air.

Looking out, Rose and Dawson saw the backs of all the guests, as they sat facing the opposite way. In the very front rows of the seats was the other thirty-eight students, who looked excited as they chatted merrily. In front of everyone was a raised platform, a stage of sorts, where the professors and staff sat in a row, with the Headmistress in the middle. Neville turned back to the couple he had taught for seven years, sad to see them go. The man almost laughed when he saw the look of pure terror on Rose's face, "just remember to take deep breaths and trust yourself. It'll be over before you want it to be."

The pretty witch smiled at her professor, the kind man she had known as a family friend since she was just a baby. Rose took a step forward and released Dawson's hand as she hugged Professor Longbottom tightly, his embrace calming her in the least. The light haired man smiled and winked down at her sweetly, turning to walk himself down the long path to the seat next to his wife.

Suddenly Rose turned to Dawson, a look of melancholy in her captivating blue eyes. She grabbed both of the boy's hands in her own as she turned and faced him. "Thank you," her soft voice spoke, surprising Dawson with her words slightly. "Thanks for standing by my side this year, I honestly don't know what I would have done without you, Dawson." The man smiled hugely down at his partner, thanking her in return. Just then the soft flow of music could be heard, and they both knew it was their signal.

A small hand clutched onto Dawson's arm as they walked side by side down the long path, as everyone turned in their seats to look at them. The jitters returned to Rose full forced, but she tried her best to ignore them as she smiled at all the faces grinning at her. As Rose looked on she spotted a large section of seats that held bright heads of red hair, and she knew just about every member of her family was in attendance, along with Teddy Lupin and his daughters. She also spotted a few heads of white-blonde hair, and knew all of Scorpius' family was there.

The Head Boy and Girl took confident steps down the aisle between the chairs, making their way to the stage. Everyone watched as Rose's smile doubled when she saw Scorpius and Albus, as she passed by them. Grey eyes followed the lithe figure of his witch as she gracefully made her way onto the stage, and his breath froze in his chest when he saw how utterly beautiful and breathtaking she was.

A small, deep chuckle escaped Scorpius as he grinned when he spotted Rose trip over her foot just as she made her way onto the stage. Luckily, Dawson was right beside her to catch her before she made a fool of herself, yet the crowd of people laughed light heartedly when she girl looked to everyone in the audience with a silly guilty look on her innocent face.

Rose felt her face burn deeply as she continued on her wobbly feet, feeling appreciative for the calm wind that blew and cooled her. She shot Dawson a grateful look, just as Headmistress McGonagall stood and made her way to the front.

Her velvet voice was loud and strong as she spoke out to the audience, smiling down at her students, now grown. "Thank you all for coming to the graduation ceremony of the Hogwarts class of 2024." The woman wore a look of bittersweet happiness, as her wise eyes looked to each of her students, flashes of their young selves coming to her. "One of my greatest joys in life is being a teacher, and being able to watch beautiful children grow up into strong men and women. It has been my uppermost pleasure to have had all of you wonderful young adults under my wing for these past seven years. I want you all to know that I will remember and cherish each memory I have, and know that I have a special place in my heart for each and everyone of you. Thank you all for allowing me the opportunity of teaching you, and watching after you. I know all the students sitting here in front of me will do great things and go great places in life."

A loud boom of clapping was heard when the older witch stopped speaking as she smiled down at her students, several people already teary eyed. When it quieted down, Minerva spoke again, "now, it is my uppermost pleasure to introduce to you all my Head Boy, Dawson Pucey, and my Head Girl, Rose Weasley." Another round of applause let out as the women went back to her seat, grinning and hugging the two of them on her way. Both students had been asked to give small speeches, as it was after all a tradition, and Rose suddenly regretted agreeing as she walked up to the front of the stage.

The witch felt each pair of eyes staring into her, and she felt as if she was suddenly about to throw up, wishing to run far away. Rose was just about to panic and turn back around when she suddenly caught eyes with Scorpius' grandfather, Lucius. The man was dressed impeccably, as always, and looked devilishly handsome as he at beside his gracious wife. The wizard seemed to sense Rose's panic, because Lucius stared hard into Rose's eyes, a calm and peaceful look in his serious eyes, as he nodded slowly. This seemed to give Rose the push of confidence she needed, and she gave a small smile to the man as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, missing the way Narcissa smile at her husband.

When she peeked open again, she found herself much more relaxed, as if Lucius had put her under a calming spell. "Uh, hello everyone," Rose said in her loudest voice, though it was still quite small and sweet sounding. "Gosh," she mumbled quietly, causing quite a few people to laugh. "I was asked to speak today over a week again, and I'm still not sure what I should say."

The witch wiped her sweaty palms down her sides and took a deep breath before starting again. "For the past seven years Hogwarts had been a home for me; it's taught me so many things, and kept me safe. I've met amazing people, and created bonds that will last me a lifetime." Her blue eyes flickered over to Robert and Elliot, Frank and Nathaniel, Zoee and Luciano and Quinn. "I guess the reality of it all still hasn't caught up with me, and I wish I could wake up on Monday and return to my classes as usual… but I can't, and I won't."

Rose mentally cursed herself when she felt the tears swell in her eyes, and she smiled when she saw her mother grinning proudly at her from her seat. "It's time we all leave, and make a place for ourselves in the real world, no matter if we wish to or not. And I just wanted to give a few people some proper credit." Turning around she spoke to her professors, "I would like to thank each of you, for giving me your all and teaching me amazing things. I am truly so grateful for you." Rose spun back around and looked down to her peers, who grinned up at her. "And thank you to all my fellow students, you too have taught me things I will never forget. My experience here would have been nothing without you all. I'm thrilled to see where we will go in life, and to share this new and scary experience of the real world with each of you. I will never forget my days here, as they wer some of the best days I have had so far. And I am so appreciative for that."

With a sigh Rose ignored the single tear that slid down her face. "So, yes! I do believe that is all I have to say. Thank you," she ended as she smiled and shrugged her shoulder, blushing when everyone applauded for her. When she turned and let Dawson have the stage, they stopped and hugged each other tightly, causing Hermione and Daphne to smile at their children.

"Jeez," Dawson said in a casual manner once he stood in front of the crowd. "How am I supposed to top that," he said, lightening the mood as everyone laughed. The intelligent boy went on to give an amazing speech, one that was full of laughs and jokes. Everyone clapped for him when he was finished and stood from their seats when Dawson pulled Rose back to the front of the stage and grabbed her hand, pulling it up to the sky. The witch shook her head, yet smiled shyly, when she spotted James and Fred whistling and cheering from their spots, ignoring when their mothers scolded them to behave.

The pair then walked back off the stage and went to their empty seats amongst their equals in the audience. Rose sat herself in between Samuel Walter and Nate Wood, smiling and thanking them when they both told her how nice her speech was. The ceremony then begun, and Minerva McGonagall called out names, from memory, and handed each student their diploma when they came across to grab it. Each student shook the hands of all, and the professors greeted each witch and wizard with equal sadness to see them go.

Rose cheered loudly when Scorpius was called up, and she held back a giggle when she heard the contained and polite clapping coming from his family. She grinned when he looked down at her after he received his papers, and winked at her as she appreciated his undeniable handsome looks. Albus followed shortly after him, and the loud noise compared to the soft applauding Scorpius received was a big difference. The entire Weasley-Potter clan, along with a few rowdy students, cheered at a huge volume. The man swaggered onto the stage, and waved cockily at all the students, though Minerva gave him a steady, yet amused, look when he reached her. Rose smiled at her foolish cousin, clapping as she smiled prettily at him.

After more students, Rose's name was called and she made her way her back up the stairs. The huge boom of noise that was let out when the tiny witch crossed the stage was undeniably the loudest yet, and she blushed a deep pink color. Scorpius, along with a few others, stood and whistled loudly, and Rose thought she even heard him yell something about her being his girlfriend. The two women shared a smile when Minerva handed Rose her diploma, though she quickly grabbed the younger girl's arm before she could walk off.

"May I present to you the brightest witch in history to ever graduate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Headmistress said as she held the sides of Rose's arms and spun her to face the audience, causing the clapping and yelling to only get louder. The bashful witch quickly made her escape and quite literally ran off the stage, happy to be out of eyesight of all.

Nathaniel Wood and Luciano Zabini were the last two to go up, and after they were both seated Minerva spoke again. "I am proud to congratulate the graduated class of 2024," she said in a loud voice, and everyone in the crowds clapped again. "Please, make your way down to the boats and across the Great Lake one last time."

The crowds then became a mess, as students found their families, kissing and hugging them quickly before they walked down to the lake, where Hagrid was standing with a huge sappy grin on his face. "Rosie," the witch heard her name called as she walked next to Albus. The couple stopped and allowed Scorpius to jog up to them, in no particular rush to leave. Rose smiled brightly when Scorpius reached her, and she kissed him quickly before grabbing his hand and pulling him along as the three made their way down. "You were great," the Slytherin complimented his girl, and she thanked him with a small blush, squeezing his hand calmingly.

The strange trio was able to grab a boat together, and they all found grins permanently stuck onto their faces as they floated across the Great Lake. Rose sat herself between Albus and Scorpius, and held both their hands tightly in hers, unable to let go even if she wished to.

Her blue eyes were wide and curious as she watched as the breathtaking sight of the mystical and magical castle was stretched farther and farther away. Rose felt a sorrowful ache fill her stomach, and she longed to turn the boat around and run back to her home away from home. The castle held a plethora of her memories, and the very last thing she wanted to do was leave it. She wasn't sure what her life would be like without the fallback of Hogwarts, but she was eager to find out. Rose sighed quietly, and smiled with both men unconsciously squeezed her hands at the same moment.

And even though Rose was terrified to leave her safe haven and go into the real world, she knew that everything would be alright if she had her two rocks by her side to keep her happy and secured. "Goodbye," Rose whispered to her old stone home, as a single tear sparkled its way down her cheek, leaving a wet trail. Her eyes were glued to the castle until it faded from view, missing the way Albus and Scorpius smiled softly down at her.


	63. Chapter 63

Please read the author's note at the end of this chapter, it has some very important news that I would like you all to read, thanks! And as always, enjoy.

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It was once written that saying goodbye is the hardest experience one will ever face in their life. Goodbye's are cruel, and often leave a scarring hole on our hearts. The feeling of bittersweetness is a strange one, yet at one time or another in one's life, they are forced to feel it. Forty different young adults had finally reached the moment they had been working towards for seven years, however they felt a sense of sadness rather than accomplishment, and no one could explain why. It was like running a marathon, yet feeling let down after reaching the finish line.

It felt strange to have a celebration when she felt so peculiarly upset, Rose thought, though she enjoyed the moment she was in. A stream of music flowed through the air of the huge ballroom, located in Hogsmeade, where the annual graduation celebration was held. There was a large dance floor in the center of the room, and hundreds of circle tables scattered around it. The atmosphere was magical and light, and the positive energy was contagious to anyone who fell into the room.

The small witch sat at a table with her family, who fawned over her and Albus, congratulating them over and over again. Her blue eyes flickered across the room to the table where the Malfoys and Puceys sat, wishing she was over beside _him_. As if sensing her, Scorpius looked up and smiled handsomely when he caught her eye, he winked at her as he held up a single finger, motioning to give him a minute. The witch bite her lip lightly to hide her smile as she nodded to him, turning back to her family, unknowing that a few of them had watched the small exchange.

"So, Rosie, are you excited to start your Healer training this fall," her Aunt Audrey asked from across the table. The witch looked to the witch, and nodded enthusiastically. It was plain to see that Rose was over the moon at the thought of finally becoming a registered Healer. "Tell me, you had a full year knocked off from your training at Hogwarts. So, you only have one year left?"

Her slim fingers came up and adjusted her silverware, aligning them perfectly. Most of her family's eyes were on her, though she hardly felt nervous at the fact. "Yes. Normally a witch or wizard would go through one full year of lessons, and then a full year of first hand experience. So I will be able to go onto my training right away, as I already completed all of my academic studies." Hermione smiled at her daughter as she explained herself, proud of how her little girl had come such a long way.

The older witch reached out and grabbed Rose's hand to squeeze it, watching as her daughter looked to her and smiled beautifully, a smile that was identical to her own mother's. "I'm so proud of you," Hermione told her daughter, both oblivious to the way Ron smiled at his wife and daughter.

Just then, the clearing of a throat could be heard, and a smile snuck up to Rose as she eagerly turned in her chair and faced the guest. Scorpius was standing a foot away from the table, looking stunning in a perfectly fitted silver-grey dress shirt with a Slytherin green tie. The entire Weasley-Potter table quieted down, allowing their guest a moment to speak. "I am sorry to interrupt, I was just wondering if I could steal this lovely young lady away from you all for a moment," Scorpius asked gallantly, polite as ever. Dominique, along with Roxanne, smiled at the man's courteous manner, knowing he was a diamond in the rough.

"Oh, of course," Molly I insisted quickly, causing everyone to chuckle at her eagerness. It was obvious the woman was a fan of her granddaughter's boyfriend, despite her dislike for the boy's family.

A striking smirk found Scorpius' lips as he looked to Rose's grandmother, his charm thick. "Well, thank you very much, ma'am. I will be sure to return her soon," the Slytherin said in a smooth voice, as he extended his hand to Rose, who grabbed it quickly. The couple snickered to each other when they heard Molly loudly exclaim how much she like 'that Malfoy boy'. With her hand in his, Scorpius led the beauty of the night onto the dance floor, which was packed with couples of all ages.

As if someone was watching them, an upbeat song started to play out as soon as they reached the floor, causing a few couples to scatter off, but Scorpius held Rose's hand tight. A peel of delightful giggles left the little witch when her wizard suddenly started twirling her around in fast circles, managing to still dance gracefully to the beat of the song. Almost all eyes were on the pair as they danced all around the floor, and whether the couple was unaware, or simply didn't care, it was unsure.

A huge smile was glued to Rose's face as her dimple imprinted on her cheek, and every time she let out a small laugh, Scorpius was infected with a grin of his own. A few minutes later the song ended, and the two were nearly out of breath from their thrilling dance. "Would you like something to drink," Scorpius asked once the couple had stepped to the side, allowing the other pairs to dance. Rose nodded gratefully, and Scorpius barked out a laugh at her response, "alright, I'll be back in a moment."

Blue eyes faded out to watch the happy duos on the dance floor, watching them as they danced; some perfectly in sync and some rather clumsily. A smile found Rose, as she noticed how joyous each person in the room seemed, and she felt blessed to be a part of the moment. The witch looked around and found that she was standing just a few feet away from the table Scorpius' family was at, and she caught Draco's eye as he smiled at her, motioning her over. Though just when she made a move she felt a body suddenly bump into her body, causing her to stumble a few steps, yet a hand reached out and caught her. "Oh," a deep voice called out, just as Rose turned to look at her perpetrator.

An old man, with greying brown hair, and mismatched blue and green eyes looked down to the witch, his hand still on her arm where he caught her. Rose guessed with man was in his laugh nineties, the wrinkles on his face betraying his age. "I am so terribly sorry, dear. I much apologize for my clumsy-" the wizard started in a voice that had been around for many decades, yet his words cut off so suddenly Rose thought he had been cursed.

The pair of unmatched eyes grew wide, just as Rose was about to tell him how no harm was done, and how she was perfectly alright. Confusion clogged the witch's mind, as she watched the man stare at her hard, looking at her as if she had three heads. "Elzenthia," the elder man called out suddenly, and out of the corner of her eyes Rose watched as Scorpius' grandfather turned to the pair suddenly, and made a move to rise out of his seat. Just then Scorpius returned, a drink in hand for his witch, surprised to see who she was talking to.

The Slytherin wizard was about to greet the older man, recognizing him as Quinn Nott's elder grandfather, Clarence Nott, but he was cut off. The old man spoke again, still seemingly shocked, "Elzenthia Malfoy?" By the time the man questioned the name yet again, Scorpius' grandfather had made his way over to the trio. To say the least, Rose was highly confused, and it made it worse that it seemed she was the only one. "You look just as you did, how is this possible," the elder wizard asked.

Just then, when Lucius opened his mouth to speak, Theodore Nott appeared, and placed a hand on his father's arm, causing the man to shoot him a look. "I am so sorry for my father. His old senile brain gets the best of him sometimes," the wizard easily insulted his father. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," he said politely to the three with a nod of his head. "Come, father," Theodore spoke as he led the older man away, who looked back every few seconds to glance at Rose.

Once he was gone, Lucius stared at Rose hard for a moment, and then seemed to have decided something as he turned and returned to his seat. Completely baffled, the Ravenclaw turned to Scorpius, needing an explanation. The man seemed to understand, and he handed her a drink before he spoke. "That was Quinn Nott's grandfather, he was one of the first ever wizards to join the forces of the Dark Lord." Rose's eyes went wide for a moment, as she looked to where the man had sat, and saw that he was still looking at her, she also found Quinn sending her guilty looks, and she smiled at him. The wizard looked so normal and friendly, Rose never would have guessed he had followed such an evil man.

"His name is Clarence Nott. He went to Hogwarts at the same time as my great-grandfather, Abraxas, and they were apparently quite close." Scorpius stole a glance at Clarence before speaking again, making sure to keep his voice low. "I think he thought you were my great-grandmother, Elzenthia. You do look very similar to her, it was one of the first things I noticed about you," the man commented, looking to his stunning girlfriend. "She passed away when she was in her twenties," Scorpius went on, causing Rose to gasp. "Elzenthia died while giving birth to my grandfather. That's why he was raised by his father."

Looking to his grandfather, Scorpius saw Narcissa comforting Lucius with a small hand on his arm, while Draco spoke to him. "I talked to my grandmother once and she told me how guilty he feels, he thinks he is the one who killed his mother; or that's at least what his father told him." Rose was shocked, she couldn't imagine how horrid it would feel to be told that. "That's why he came over when he heard her name; he doesn't like talking about her." Scorpius placed his hand on Rose's waist and pulled her close to him, "Quinn says his grandfather is losing grip of his mind. He says he doesn't always make sense."

"Oh my," Rose said quietly, sipping her drink as she snuck a look at Lucius, who was talking fast to his son. "I feel horrid now," the witch said in a guilty voice, "should I go apologize to your grandfather?"

The wizard grabbed Rose's arm when she went to move, and shook his head. "I know my grandfather, and I'm sure he would rather not discuss it further. But come on," Scorpius said suddenly, taking the empty goblet of water from Rose and setting it on a random table as he grabbed her hand. "Let's not let this ruin our night, I've still got a good few more songs left in me and I'm not letting you get away that easily," the wizard said with a smirk as Rose giggled when she found him leading her onto the dance floor. The couple fell back into a dance, not realizing how perfectly they swayed with each other, as if meant to be together. Five laugh filled songs later, dinner was served, and Scorpius dropped a kiss on Rose's cheek as he pulled her chair out for he and returned to his own table.

Ginny who was sat next to her niece smirked as she leaned over and spoke in a low tone as everyone dug into their plates of food. "You and Scorpius seem awfully close," the redhead commented, causing Rose to blush furiously. A smile lit up the pretty woman's face, and she reached to stroke a piece of long auburn hair out of her goddaughter's face. "I'm happy for you, sweetheart. It's important to find someone who can make your life better, and some who can make you smile the way he does." Rose turned to her Aunt Ginny and looked into her brown eyes, finding only honesty and light. After a sweet shared smile, both witches returned to their meals, chatting happily with their family, yet her aunt's words rung through her head.

The room was a buzz with noise, as everyone celebrated merrily, careless for the few hours they were allowed to escape. The music continued to flow through the meal, setting the cheery mood perfectly. Dessert was served some time later, and as everyone indulged in their sweets, Minerva stood on the stage made for the band one last time to give a small farewell speech, causing Rose to get teary eyed.

The older witch then went table to table and said her last words to each of her students, smiling helplessly the entire time. Rose couldn't hold back her tears when the wondrous witch visited her, and they hugged each other tightly. "Its was a truly a gift watching you turn into the beautiful young lady you have become, Rose. I'll see you soon," Minerva said, kissing the witch quickly on her cheek. Hermione couldn't help but allow a tear of her own to slip past as she watched the display of affection.

Scorpius sat across the dance floor, and watched with a smile, knowing just how fond Rose was of the Headmistress. When he looked back, he met eyes with his father, who sat beside him. Draco gave his son a encouraging grin, and slapped his hand onto Scorpius' shoulder, gripping it tightly. "It's time, Scorpius," Draco said in a low voice, leaning over so no one else could hear. Grey eyes clashed, and the men could read every emotion perfectly in the other's eyes, unable to hide from each other. "Good luck, son."

Scorpius felt his hands begin to sweat, and he swallowed several times, though it didn't help to rid him of the hard feeling in his throat. His heart pounded painfully hard in his chest, and he surely thought everyone in the room could hear its nervous beating. His lips parted as he coached himself to breath in and out deeply, feeling as if he would forget how to do so if he didn't. With one more encouraging look from his father, Scorpius nodded and cleared his throat as he stood, his left hand stuffed deep in his pocket.

Feeling as if he was about to vomit, Scorpius forced himself to take confident steps forward and across the empty dance floor. To anyone else he looked hard as stone and calm as ever on the outside, though on the inside he felt a storm rolling deep in him. Dozens of sets of eyes found Scorpius when he reached Rose's table, as he stood behind her chair yet again, placing a hand on her shoulder. Stony eyes met Rose's father, and Ron seemed to know exactly what he was feeling, as he offered the wizard the smallest of smiles.

The young witch's words were cut off when she felt a large, warm hand on her shoulder, and she turned in her chair to find Scorpius standing behind her. A frown fell upon her lips when she noticed the unusual look on his face, though she couldn't quite identify what the expression was. As she went to ask him if he was alright, Scorpius spoke in a voice that was slightly higher than his normal, yet still extremely low and deep. "Will you come with me," he asked, and though Rose didn't quite understand, she nodded as she placed her hand in his and stood.

Feeling how his hands shook slightly and were sweaty in the least, Rose furrowed her brows, but didn't say anything. Little did she know, Scorpius was nearly on the edge of fainting from anticipation. "Excuse me," Scorpius called out loudly when the two of them stood in the center of the bare dance floor, in the middle of the room. The room hushed down after a minute, all eyes moving to the tall man. Thoughts rushed through Rose's mind, as she wondered what her boyfriend was doing, feeling anxious with everyone looking at her. "If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your attention for just a moment," the Slytherin said in a voice that everyone could easily hear. The band in the back quieted down, yet didn't stop playing their slow melody.

Rose looked up to Scorpius with a highly intrigued expression, puzzled as to what the man was doing. The wizard looked to his witch, and smiled in spite of his nervousness when he found the adorable look of innocence in her big blue eyes. Unable to help himself, Scorpius reached forward to cup her face with the hand not in his pocket, and bent down to press a short, yet sweet, kiss to her delicious lips. A few whistles were heard, and Rose blushed when he pulled back, realizing everyone was watching them.

Looking into her captivating eyes took the nerves off Scorpius for a moment, yet they returned full force when he pulled back and took in a deep breath. Suddenly the wizard dropped himself down onto one knee, and the sound of collective gasps were heard throughout the room. Rose felt her heart drop down into the pit of her stomach as she looked down and found her boyfriend posed before her. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she pulled a hand to cover her wide open mouth, when she realized what was happening. His free hand went up and grabbed hers, holding it tightly as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her soft skin.

"Rose," Scorpius started his voice low, yet everyone in the room could hear him. "Eight short months ago you saved my life, and ever since then you have continued to save me. Never in my life have I been as happy as I am when you are by my side, and I thank you for that. Rosie, I love you with my entire being, as I have since the moment I laid eyes on you, and I know my love for you will only grow stronger, as it has. My life without you would be nothing… I am nothing without you. I am a better man because of you."

Rose felt warm tears fall down her face as she listened to Scorpius, not believing anything was real. Her hand shook over her mouth, and nothing else in the entire world mattered to her in that moment but him. From across the room, Hermione was in a similar position, as she held her breath, her husband holding her with a smile. Astoria, who sat beside her husband was silent, the biggest smile she had ever wore planted on her face.

Scorpius continued then, smiling up at the gorgeous witch. "Little one, you give my life a purpose, and I know I could never live a day without you next to me. I thank you for giving me the opportunity of loving you everyday you have, yet that isn't enough for me, I fear. I've talked to your father and he has given me permission, so there is a question I must ask you," the wizard's deep voice spoke soothingly. A pale hand pulled itself out of his trouser pocket, and several gasps were heard when Scorpius presented Rose with a black velvet box.

Rose sobbed out when Scorpius pulled the box open, and showed off a stunning diamond ring. It all felt too good to be true, yet if it were a dream Rose wished to never be woken. "Rose Blaire Weasley, I swear to cherish, protect, and love you for every second of my life. Will you do me exceptional honor of marrying me?" The tears in her eyes blurred her vision, though Rose could clearly see the look of pure love on Scorpius' face, and it seemed to squeeze her heart tight.

The room was deathly silent for a moment, a quill could be heard hitting the floor. Everyone held their breaths, but no one felt as anxious and nervous as Scorpius did. His hand shook ever so as he held the box open to her, praying on anything he knew that everything wouldn't go to hell. Rose felt her body shiver slightly, and as if set off suddenly, she let out a great sob as she began nodding her head furiously. "Y-yes," she cried out all of a sudden, a huge smile breaking out on her pretty lips. "I- of course!"

Scorpius grinned hugely, his cheeks aching from the act, yet he didn't notice. The wizard quickly grabbed Rose's left hand when she presented it to him, and his shaking fingers pulled the ring out of the box, and slid it onto her ring finger. Dropping the now empty box carelessly, Scorpius stood and pulled Rose into his arms. The couple's lips met in the middle, and they kissed each other hungrily, not holding back in the least. A huge boom of loud clapping broke out, as everyone watched the overjoyed couple embrace each other.

With her hands around his neck, Rose grabbed at Scorpius' soft hair as he suddenly lifted her up and spun her around several times. Scorpius felt like he had just won the best prize of his life, and he knew no one could bring him down from his high. When they pulled back, Rose wore brightly blushed cheeks, and her smile lit up her entire face when she looked up in Scorpius' eyes and found them filled with pure glee. "I love you so much," she swore to him, and Scorpius quickly pecked her on her lips again at her words, squeezing her tight to him.

Rose tore her eyes from his when he pulled back, and brought her hand up to properly get a look at her ring. A gasp was stolen from the witch when she saw just how utterly covered in diamonds the ring was. It took up a good portion of her tiny, slender finger, as it was a flashy piece. At first glance, it looked like it would weigh her finger down, but Rose thought it felt impossibly light on her. There was a cushion cut diamond in the center of the band, and Rose knew it was certainly the largest stone she had ever laid her eyes on, with two smaller diamonds on either side. Surrounding the large diamond, was a circle of tiny, sparkling diamonds, along with the silver band of the ring, which was coated in a layer of well sized rocks. Rose knew the ring must have cost millions of galleons, and she felt as if she should return it, yet she knew Scorpius probably spent a good amount of time picking it for her.

"Oh, Scorpius, it's stunning" Rose sighed out, and she saw the satisfied look in his grey eyes, causing her stomach to flutter happily. The witch took a step forward and circled her arms around his muscled stomach, hugging him tightly to her, breathing in the scent that had become heavenly to her. When she pulled back, the couple found themselves surrounded by both their parents.

Hermione had tears staining her face as she hugged her daughter and whispered to her how happy she was for her as she kissed her cheek. The witch hugged Scorpius too, just after he received a handshake from Ron, who smiled at the man. "Thank you so much, sir," Scorpius said to Ron, who nodded, hugging his daughter tight to him.

Astoria practically pounced on the witch the second her father released her, embracing Rose tightly. "Oh, I'm so happy to have you in the family, darling," the older woman exclaimed, feeling her heart soar. Draco stepped forward and hugged Rose too, just as Astoria moved to coddle her son. And though the wizard didn't say a word, his eyes told the little witch just how happy he was.

Hundreds of people ran up and did the same once their parents were done, everyone smiling and laughing. Rose's cousins gasped at the sight of her ring, as several wizard went and clapped Scorpius on the back for a job well done. Both of the newly engaged couple were thoroughly exhausted by the time everyone was through congratulating them.

After a full hour, the couple seemed to be able to enjoy themselves, and they held each other tightly as they swayed back and forth on the dance floor, which was flooded with other pairs. Rose laid her head on Scorpius' chest, listening to his heartbeat as she always loved to do, feeling as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. The wizard laid his cheek atop of Rose's head, inhaling her deliciously sweet and addictive scent, as he led them around in circles.

As it got later and later, people began to say their goodbyes and leave, yet Rose and Scorpius remained on the dance floor, even when everyone had gone. There was a sweet peace that had settled upon them, as if all their worries in life had been tucked away, and all they needed to survive was each other. The pair seemed off in their own world, happy to have the other to hold and love. Scorpius looked down to Rose when a song ended, finding only about fifty people reminiscing. "So, tell me, my little lovely. Are you ready to become Mrs Rose Malfoy?"

Rose grinned hugely when she heard the name, nodding while thinking it sounded absolutely perfect and right. Her hands around his neck slid to stroke all over his face, her body pressed against his as they continued to sway. The couple peered into each others eyes, and Scorpius found the same pair of blue eyes he fell in love with from the first time he saw them, and Rose the icy grey pair she dreamt about. Rose felt her heart beat unstably and she knew she had found everything she ever needed in him. When her gentle voice spoke up, Scorpius could hear all the truth in the world. "I've never been more ready for anything," Rose confessed with a beatific smile, that caused Scorpius' breath to catch in his chest.

Her heart in her chest felt too big, as if it could implode from happiness, and everything felt so good it almost hurt. "Let's begin the rest of our lives," Rose said, her beauty radiating off her as she smiled at Scorpius. And as he pressed down to press a kiss to her forehead, they both knew they were holding everything they ever wanted right in their hands. They both knew they had nothing in the world to worry about, because their love was one of a kind; _a love built in the stars_.

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Hey guys, I honestly can't explain how nostalgic and sad I am feeling right now. If you hadn't guessed yet, that was indeed the very last chapter of this story.

First off I just wanted to say _thank you so much_ to each and every person who has stuck by this story from the very start, it means so much to me and I am so grateful for you all. It would make me so very happy if you all could just leave me your final and overall thoughts on this story in the reviews for me; tell me your favorite parts, or least favorite, which character you liked the most… anything!

And secondly, as I brought up in the A/N at the very beginning of this story, I am indeed currently writing a sequel. I will continue to write this, simply for myself, but _**please**_ let me know if you are interested in reading it. I will most definitely post it if many of you would like that. So _please, please, please_ do me a favor and let me know if you would like that! And if you are, tell me what you would like to see or what you think should happen. If it does get enough votes that I should post it, just keep an eye out, I will post something on this story to alert you. If you continue to follow me I do believe it will alert you. But please keep in mind it does take me a very long time to complete the entire writing process; jot down ideas, organize, write, edit thrice over, and then post, so please be patient with me.

Anyways, thank you all again, it was a privilege to have been able to share my story with you all. Until next time- E.C.S.

July 26, 2016


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